When the Black Order Acknowledges Theater
by Shizumi-chan
Summary: Shakespeare did always have the tendency to over complicate things... KandaAllen/Yuullen...
1. The Story of a Trickster

"…_.and run through fire I will for thy sweet sake…"_

**-Lyzander ("A Midsummer Night's Dream")  
**

**When the Black Order acknowledges theater… **

_Disclaimer: I don't own D.Gray-Man, and I definitely do not own the Shakespearean plays.  
_

**CHAPTER ONE: A Midsummer Night's Dream **_(The Story of a Trickster)_

For everyone in the Black Order, hobbies were a luxury. Few people had any real past times, most people took their jobs seriously to ever take a break and do something else. Of course that didn't stop some people from having one, it certainly didn't stop Lenalee. Her latest fad is Shakespeare. His poems, his plays, may it be comedy or tragedy, she was in love with them. His plays she love most of all. Day and night, with all the free time she got, she spent on reading Shakespearean plays. She'd cry at the end of tragedies, giggle while reading comedies, blush at the plays with romance in them. She was really, truly, irrevocably in love with the plays. She loved them so much she wanted to _spread the joy_. 

And that is what brings us here, to this quiet and secluded place in the Black Order's library, where the Black Order's Shakespearean Play Club was having its first meeting.

"I'm so happy you all could be here!" Lenalee exclaimed enthusiastically eager to talk about her current obsession with others

"Of course, I could be here Lenalee…" Komui was there of course, he did love his sister so much

"There isn't anything in this whole building, more interesting than what is about to happen here... I assure you all..." Lavi was grinning cheekily; he was always up for anything new

"I… I'm… I'm happy to be here…" Miranda was there of course, she didn't like turning down any invitation

"I've become a huge fan of Shakespeare my self… I am_ more_ than happy to be here…" Crowley was also here, he also had some free time on his hands, and often, Lenalee would make him read some of her favorite pieces

"I'm up for anything…" Allen was here of course, what were friends for?

"Remind me again why I'm even here…" It's always a mystery how Lavi gets Kanda to take part in these sort of things, but somehow he always does

Shrugging of Kanda's question Lenalee said "With all of us here I am please to begin The Black Order's Shakespearean Play Club's first meeting, a discussion on the play _'A Midsummer Night's Dream'_, anyone can begin talking, so we have a topic to begin with." 

No one said a word, taking that as her cue Lenalee began "I especially like Lysander among the characters, there is just something so manly about him that I'm drawn to…"

"It could be because when he loves, he loves…" said Lavi "I mean he shows loyalty to whomever his loves at the time he loves her, if that makes sense…"

"I… I think the love in the story was too weak…" Miranda said nervously (when was she ever not nervous?)

"True… True… Lysander and Demitrius both seemed to have weak love for Hermia. Well at least, they didn't love her enough since the spell got them to love Helena…" Crowley put in

"Then again, it is not true what they say that 'True love conquers all'… Lysander and Demetrius are just humans after all, emotion is something easily conquered, and the play was more realistic that way… " Komui was being serious about this, maybe he had always liked Shakespeare and just never told Lenalee

"What was the point in being realistic though…? There was a LOT of fantasy in the play…" said Allen "… the play depended on magical creatures…"

"Tsch…" that was of course Kanda

"Now remind _ME_ why this guy is even here again…" Allen looked annoyed, obviously at Kanda who just _Tsch-ed_ him

"You disagree with him Kanda?" Lenalee choose to try to get Kanda into the discussion rather than kick him out

"No I don't disagree with him…" he said firmly "Puck was just an annoyingly idiotic character" he lazily waved his hand and reclined on his chair, crossing his arms, as if to show he was taking no more part in the discussion

Lenalee sighed, getting the picture "Right… About Puck…"

------------------

_It happened when Kanda Yuu was about ten years old. Even when he was young he never showed enough emotion, anger and all of the like, were the only emotions he'd ever shown anyone. Yet his mother was still favored him more than his older brother, and three sisters. Perhaps it was his uncanny beauty. It was unusual to be that beautiful, and it was definitely his redeeming quality. If only he would smile more, his mother would always say. Little Yuu form the Kanda family, was admired for his beauty and strength, but feared for the same reasons and everything else about him. _

_Despite everything though he was trusted, and his siblings did not envy him despite all the favor given to him. But to Yuu, it was all too annoying, his sisters told him everything, EVERYTHING. One day he'd just had enough, and decided to do something…. Interesting…_

_It was in the middle fall, and his sisters were having another bout of "Bachelor assessment" discussions. Those were the most annoying secrets to hear, among all annoying secrets to hear. Yuu never under stood his sisters, he didn't understand females all together. Though he didn't understand males either, maybe he really just wasn't a people person. People make things so complicated, a silly emotion called love made things complicated._

"_Kotaro said he fancies you" He said unemotionally to his eldest sister, Aya_

"_Did he really?" Aya said with a gasp "Well this certainly changes my opinion of him; he has great taste in women…"_

"_Yes… great taste indeed…" Yuu's older sister Yuki, was not so eager_

_Yuu was of course well aware that Yuki had a secret relationship with Kotaro, he was the only other person aside from the couple who knew about it. It was annoying that Yuki trusted him that much. He didn't want the trust, though he could never explain why. _

"_Hayato says he fancies Yuki though…" Yuu sensed a fight though, which would be interesting for a change _

_Yuu also knew for a fact, that Aya was hopelessly infatuated with Hayato, she never spoke so well of any other man. She criticized all men except him, to her he was perfect, to her he was the ideal husband._

_Tempers flare_

"_Goodness Yuki, what did you do! You KNOW how much I like him..." Aya was obviously upset_

"_I didn't do ANYTHING… Who are you to talk anyway; don't you know how much I like Kotaro? I might not have told you, but you could have at least noticed…" Yuki said somberly _

"_That's not the same Yuki, I will ALWAYS love Hayato…" says Aya furiously_

"_What if it was the same? What then?" Yuki was now equally furious, rage evident in her eyes_

_And Yuu watched, as they were exchanging venomous statements… He didn't tell any lies, and it was amazing how the pervasive truth could bring such chaos among siblings. It was amazing, and all too amusing. Yuu would learn to do this more often._

_Eventually (a year later), Yuki would marry Hayato, and Aya would marry Kotaro. All those quarrels and claims of their loves strength turned out to be nothing in the end. Yuu found amusing, it was ironic, that was that, though it was annoying in a sense that, he had to listen to all that and then they both ended up eating their words. Whatever happened to "I would rather die than live without him, and I'll gladly plunge into the deepest ocean for him…"? It was so funny, they were always so inconsistent his sisters, _

_but who knew it was to this extent? Life was empty now though, far too boring without his sister's constant bickers. Though it was not long after the double wedding, that Kanda Yuu discovered something he found all too interesting… But that is another story…_

_------------------_

"So it's decided, we all think Puck is an annoying little twit, and without him, the play would have been a wonderful drama of love …" Everyone nodded as Allen said this

"Hmmmnh…" Allen glared at him

"What now…"

"Well bean sprout… It's just that I've come to realize that Puck is my favorite character… And that would make your statement wrong" Kanda was as usual, dead serious

Everyone gawked at him in surprise, even Allen, who should have been glaring, couldn't help but look at him in astonishment. 

"Why the a sudden change of heart?" asked Lenalee

Kanda smirked smugly and said "The play is supposed to be one of Shakespeare's High Comedies…"

"Yes! Yes, I get what you mean… The play wouldn't be half the comedy it was meant to be without Puck…" Komui wore a how-could-I-have-not-thought-of-that look

Kanda went from looking amused and smug, to smug and bored, and he muttered "… No one even mentioned how weird it was for Shakespeare to have visualized a play about summer during winter…"

For someone who didn't want to be here in the first place, Kanda knows a lot, but when Allen felt skeptical about that, everyone else felt more at eased at the fact.

"Yeah… " said Lavi "…Yeah that_ is_ weird… I wonder why'd he'd be so inspired to write about summer in the midst of winter…"

"He hated the cold snow, and loved the hot sun?" said Allen

Lenalee laughed "Perhaps the answer for the atypical fact lies with Shakespeare's geniuses…" she laughed again "…But if that is the case we shall never know the answer…"

Miranda looked thoughtful "Shakespeare is truly a wonderful writer… There- There is never only one feel throughout a play… He-He's… how do you say… brilliant?" 

"Exactly, he's brilliant, in that way and many others, which is why we, this club exists." She smiled a proud smile "… But that aside; we shouldn't stray from the story itself… We are talking more about the writer himself now, which we shouldn't be doing; this is a club for his_ plays_ after all… Anyone with any more thoughts on _'A Midsummer Night's dream'_?" 

"What about it's contradiction with '_Romeo and Juliet'_…" said Crowley

No one said it, but all their faces read '_What are you talking about?'; _well, all of them except Kanda and Allen.

"In what way do they contradict exactly…" asked Komui, speaking for everyone

"Love at first sight" Kanda and Allen said in unison

Kanda glared at Allen, who just rolled his eyes in reply to the gesture.

"Yes, precisely that, the contradiction between how the two plays depict love at first sight…" said Crowley

Lavi pressed his thumb onto his lover lip; and after being in thought for a few seconds said "Right! In '_Romeo and Juliet'_ love at first sight was seen as something good, pure, beautiful… But it ended in tragedy… Where as here in '_A Midsummer Night's Dream_' it was-"

"Pictured as calamity, turning out to be calamity… Yet the play still ends well…" said Lenalee continuing Lavi's sentence "… I get it now…" she muttered, smiling inwardly

The Black Order's Shakespearean Play Club's first meeting was a relatively pleasant success. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(**EDIT (03/20/08):** A lot of dialogue was added to this chapter…. Since I felt the first way it was written did not do much justice to the play (A Midsummer Night's Dream), personally it was one of my favorites among Shakespeare's comedies, and as for the sentiments the characters have in this (and all) the chapters… They are only opinion, please have that in mind; and yes, I am well aware nobody mentioned Oberon and Tatiana in this chapter... and as for the quote… I really just liked the line, this will be the only chapter with a quote irrelevant to its content I promise…)

(a/n: My writing style is just too unoriginal… sigh… but I'm happy I was able to begin writing this D.Gray-man fic, the idea has been in my mind for too long… It's not Yuullen in this first chapter, but eventually, it will be, maybe starting next chapter even… Characters are a bit OOC and I'm sorry for that, and yes, there will be more of Kanda's childhood here, although I'm sure my plot will be invalid by the time Kanda's past is actually revealed, it's fun to imagine while there's still nothing canon… Reviews are highly appreciated, and I may not reply, but I read them all)


	2. The Tale of the Unlucky one

"_A heavier task could not have been imposed;_

_Than I to speak my grief's unspeakable…"_

-Aegeon ("The Comedy of Errors")

**  
When the Black Order Acknowledges Theater…**__

Disclaimer: I don't own D.Gray-Man, and I definitely do not own the Shakespearean plays.

**CHAPTER TWO: The Comedy of Errors **_(The Tale of the Unlucky one)_

They had decided on reading "The Comedy of Errors" since nobody wanted to discuss any of Shakespeare's most heartbreaking plays just yet; and it was on a windy Wednesday afternoon, that the Black Order's Shakespearean Play Club, held their second meeting, in a café in the town below. Unfortunately though; one of them couldn't' come… 

"Ah, such a nice day…" said Crowley, as he took in a deep breath

"Food's pretty good too…" said Lavi as he ate another cookie

"It's a shame supervisor couldn't come…" commented Miranda

Lenalee sighed "He had things to do unfortunately… But we shouldn't let that get into the way of our discussion, shall we begin?" Everyone nodded "Allen-kun?"

Allen looked uneasy for a moment then began the discussion with this statement "I sympathize with Aegeon from the very beginning of the story… Being unable to pay for fines which your life depends upon…" Allen shuddered "…Is…well let's just say I didn't like that part of my life…" he chuckled nervously

"And there are parts of your existence which are actually likable?" Kanda is in the mood for a fight today apparently.

"What did you say?" Allen rose from his chair, obviously about to raise a fist, but Lenalee held him down

"Calm down Allen, don't let him get to you. I guess it's my fault for dragging him down here right after a mission…" Lenalee knew very well Kanda was always in a bad mood after a mission, well at least, a worse mood than the usual "… That aside, I feel the same way as Allen, in many ways Aegeon is pitiful… But on a lighter note, don't you find the confusion of the people in the story so amusing?"

"Oh yes, most especially when…" Allen didn't even hear what Crowley was talking about anymore, twins, debts, fines… These were the words which brought back the most horrible of memories…

------

_Allen Walker was thirteen when General Cross left him to pay for the fine of an offense he had committed, a rather large fine at that. In fact if Allen didn't somehow pay the fine, it was of with his head. This had happened before, but it was definitely something you couldn't get used to. Allen was always horrified by these experiences; and they are instances that he has trouble speaking of. Allen had never told any of his friends about his experiences with Cross since he doesn't want to have anyone share the horror with him. Well actually; mostly it was because he felt VERY uneasy whenever he spoke about those…err… unspeakable instances. Most of the stories ended badly. This was however, one story which ended absolutely well; though this particular 'happy ending' wasn't reached without trouble. _

_Allen had just told the official what he's been through under General Cross; and the man gave him his pity. Allen was given but another day to pay the fine, much to his relief; not everyone had the serious lack of mercy that Cross had. Allen knew there was only one way he could ever get enough money that very day, and that was of course, through his 'amazing' gambling talents. _

_Cheating in such games was like breathing for Allen, it was with perfect ease; because at least that, he got used to. The night was still young when he had more than enough money to pay the fine. Hurriedly had run to the office, but he came across the official in the street, he even looked quite surprised when Allen paid him, and the happiness in his expression was a bit unnerving, Allen didn't take much notice of it, all he thought of was that finally he paid. He later just walked to the front of the office, and there he saw the official again._

"_Ah Mister Walker…" said the official "... you've come to pay the fine I assume?"_

"_Sir, have I not paid it already?" said Allen, utterly confused_

"_And to whom might I ask? No one has received any payment around here…" was the equally confused reply_

"_Sir, I distinctly remember I gave my money to you. If that was not you then he would have certainly looked a lot like-"_

"_Goodness!" The official's cry startled Allen and his statement was cut short_

"_What is it sir?" Allen looked quizzical_

"_That must have been him, my twin brother; that no good freeloader…" said the official, Allen looked crushed"…don't worry boy, it won't be too hard to find him… we'll get your money back, then we can finally settle that fine…" the official laugh "… I actually don't want you to die either, not anymore at least."_

_Allen still looked positively worried, mortified, and above all scared._

_------_

Allen shivered at the memories which were coming back to him; the Comedy of errors wasn't as fun for him as it was for everyone else. Lavi seemed to enjoy it a lot; he was in hysterics with the mistakes 

people made in the story. Lenalee agreed with Lavi, but was more subtle about her sentiments. Crowley and Miranda both seemed merely amused though, where as Kanda seemed to think it was stupid, and it didn't look like he was planning to think it through like last time either. Allen quit observing everyone else and just wallowed in his own memories again. That was when those dark pupils began staring at him again.

"Deep in thought today aren't we bean-sprout…" Kanda muttered

Lavi turned towards Allen "You _are_ real quite today Allen…"

"You were so lively last time…" said Lenalee"… don't you like the story? Or do you have a problem?"

"The story is fine, and I really don't have a problem… the story just reminds me of something that happened once… But never mind, just go on guys…" Allen tried to smile reassuringly, he hoped it worked

Everyone seemed to be convinced that he was fine and so they continued on with the discussion.

"In my opinion though, none of the characters were truly lovable, instead, we love the plot." said Lenalee

"Oh yes, I agree… At the time, even now at present, those problems, really exist, and I believe in that sense, the plot is so interestingly funny; where as the characters are interestingly stupid" said Crowley

Lavi grinned at Crowley in a speak-for-yourself manner which left the vampire-like exorcist confused.

Yes, it became apparent to Allen that everyone was convinced he was fine, all except one.

"Seriously Kanda, I'm fine, stop staring at me…" Allen squinted as Kanda glared at him

"Who ever said I was worried bean? You have something on your face right there…" Kanda flicked what seemed to be a rather large cookie crumb; Kanda glared at him again "Who'd be worried about you?"

"Everyone else except for you…" Allen muttered

Kanda snorted in a _damn-right _manner.

Allen rolled his eyes, it was not the time to fight with Kanda, no not in a club meeting, and not when he was in the post recollection mood…

"Allen-kun, why don't _you_ open up a topic…" Lenalee seemed to sense Allen was remembering things he'd rather not; this was her _trying_ to get him distracted

The distraction was effective… _at the moment_…

"I… I wonder why Shakespeare prefers his clown over his merchants…" said Allen

"A very good question!" this was still Lenalee trying to get him distracted

"It's- It's probably because of how he views... and portrays… them in society…" said Miranda

"So the merchants are the bad…" Lavi said matter-of-factly

"… and the clowns are the good…" Crowley nodded

Kanda snorted, looking bored he said "The _clowns_…" Kanda looked at Allen as he stressed the word clown "…need to pay their dept to the merchants… That kind of social interaction will _never_ disappear"

Allen glared at nothing in particular; he was really not in a bickering mood. Though he mentally cursed Kanda for letting his thoughts wander of to bad memories once again…

------

_Though not without trouble, the twin brother was eventually caught, and for the fine Allen was already of the hook. Yes the ending was happy, but during the whole thing he was harassed by drunken men and women alike, cornered in alleys by his beaten poker opponents, targeted by young thieves, all of the unthinkable misfortunes were experienced by Allen, and just when he thought it was finally over, Cross had dumped a new debt to pay unto him, was his life never going to ease up? He supposed this was his so called training… but when will it end?_

_------_

Allen didn't realize everyone was staring at him again, he had a horrified look on his face, and apparently he'd shuddered twice as he was reminiscing on some things. 

"Ok, you have to tell us what's wrong…." Said Lavi, glancing one or twice over to Lenalee who had a worried expression on her face, Miranda and Crowley also looked anxious, Kanda though, just looked bored

"In the likeness of Aegeon; I must say it will be the hardest thing for me, to speak of the misfortunes which this Comedy of Errors has so unmercifully reminded me of…."

Allen shuddered, Kanda snorted

-------

(**EDIT 03/20/08:** I added in the middle, quite long addition but not as much as in chapter one. The additions are kind of important because Kanda and Allen interact in the additions. In this chapter I edited a lot of grammar, I reread the chapters since I don't want any errors in grammar, and I want them not to be written stupidly… xD I don't have any valuable insight on _The Comedy of Errors_… So I really can't add much more than this… But I hope everyone will like chapter three more, this time it's _Hamlet_.)

(a/n: So sorry if this is not as good as it should be… the next chapter will be posted soon ( I hope), I already wrote most of it (even before I wrote this one, haha…). So anyway, I'd appreciate reviews, and 

again I know this chapter was not that good, so feel free to… yeah… It's a bit Yuullen already, but next chapter is where it will really begin to steer that direction xD)


	3. The Death of Love

"_What should fellows as I do crawling between earth and heaven?_

_We arrant knaves all. Believe none of us."_

_-Hamlet ("Hamlet" Act III; scene 1)_

**When the Black Order Acknowledges Theater**

_Disclaimer: I don't own D.Gray-Man, or any other anime… obviously…_

**CHAPTER THREE: Hamlet (part one) **_(The Death of Love)_

"Have you finished reading _'Hamlet'_?" 

Kanda didn't answer Allen's question. He _had_ read _Hamlet_, though only on Lenalee persistence, and Lavi's blackmail; but had, for a fact, read the entire play. _Hamlet_, you see, was to be the topic of the club's next discussion.

"Have you finished reading Hamlet?"

Kanda could no longer ignore Allen's question, for this time the snow-haired exorcist was shouting. They were in a first class compartment on a train headed for Vienna. They had been sent on a mission that day, as partners (much to both of their dismay).

"Yes…" Kanda muttered reluctantly. He knew that just this one word out of him will lead into a discussion, it was enough he had to express opinion during meetings, he didn't want to do it outside of them. To some extent, Kanda felt uneasy about expression opinion that wasn't meant to be an insult. Also right now, Kanda was not in a very social mood (though when is he ever?).

"Do you think Hamlet ever really loved Ophelia?" asked Allen

Kanda sighed; here it goes "Am I really a person worth asking this to?"

Allen shrugged. Amazingly they weren't trying to kill each other that much lately; in fact they got along (for them, awkward conversations and cold politeness was indeed already, _"getting along"_). Though this state of getting along was reserved for only when they were alone; when they were among others, the bickering saw no end. But for now, they _are_ alone…

"Honestly _no_… I _don't_ think Hamlet ever really loved Ophelia…" Kansa said finally

Allen frowned

"What? You asked…" Kanda squinted

"Yeah…" Allen sighed sadly "… for you… He didn't even at least just… _fall out of love_?"

Kanda sighed and changed his position to face Allen "_No one_, falls out of love in Shakespeare…"

"So if Hamlet never loved Ophelia... Isn't that just… Sad?" 

"For who, Hamlet or Ophelia?"

Allen shrugged and Kanda rolled his eyes.

"The play is a friggin _tragedy_ bean sprout, many people even think of it as Shakespeare's greatest tragedies… Hamlet should not exactly make you happy…" 

"But… But he never loved _anyone_…"

"You should know better than me that love is not something that can be forced…"

"I _do_ know… but… but how could you not love anyone?"

"It isn't a damn_ sin_ not to love, bean…" Kanda shifted his gaze outside the window again, not wanting to talk anymore

"Even for his family… he didn't… he didn't _really_ seem to… to _love_ them…" Allen muttered

"Not everyone loves their family…" Kanda muttered

Then there was silence.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Kanda was twelve when he quickly became on of the most feared members of the Kabuki-mono. His parents and sisters were killed by akuma, and his brother had been missing for years. It didn't take Kanda long to be taken in by the Kabuki-mono, they were impressed by his skill in swordsmanship and lack of emotion (which made him an ideal killer in many ways). Every one called him "Yoru" meaning "Night" it was simple, but it fit him. He was the king of the darkest places of the cities, the lord of all things that went on below the surface. Unlike other members of the Kabuki-mono though, Kanda never claimed to be one of the samurais of the shogun. He'd always keep his mouth shut, and do his job; he never bloated to be something he was not. He knew his place, he was an outlaw. That was how the he and the rest of the Kabuki-mono acted, and that's how it would always be, he presumed. _

_Yoru the dreadful they'd call him, he wouldn't ever risk his neck for anyone, he never cared or any of his comrades. In fact, if he came back alone from a mission where he was accompanied by a battalion originally, no one would ask him any questions and leave him be. People say after all, have Kanda's comrades who died, he'd likely have killed himself. Failure, according to Kanda, was unacceptable, and nuisances should be eliminated, and ever since he'd been given enough power to do so, he'd killed a number of his own servants and comrades. But it was his undeniable flawless success at every job that made everyone respect him despite his age and his rash style of leadership. _

_Kanda knew more than any of those old gangsters though, he knew about Akuma, and he knew about Innocence. He knew why there were akuma basically, and he was relieved in some respects, that he thought grieving was pointless, and what's done is done, so the Earl of the Millennium would never have _

_gotten to him (he did however, believe revenge was not pointless, but didn't know if he'd ever have the power to do that, maybe he would never) .He also knew that his katana, mugen, contained innocence, he'd never used it before, but he knew it did. _

"_Yoru-dono, we've got a new job." A servant walked in, Kanda didn't care to look at him, and they all looked the same to him anyway, what was the point?_

"_Elaborate" was all Kanda said_

"_In the east side of the city, near the third alley, there's going to be some sort of a party, held by some of the upperclassmen form around here."_

"_Just tell me whose throat I need to stick my sword into…" Kanda was always this morbid, and he'd grown to have a tongue which spat out only the most venomous ways of saying things_

"_Kanda Hideharu, the bosses say he's the one with-"_

"_No need" Kanda got up "I know him, let's go…"_

_Kanda didn't car much that his next target was his own long lost older brother. He'd lived without him for a year now, and he was more than just fine, it didn't matter if he'd have to spend the rest of his life as a killing puppet, who never cared to ask why he had to kill all those people._

_-----------------_

_Kanda was dressed just like any young (relatively important), samurai. Looking as dashing as usual, though his face remained emotionless, he joined the party, many heads turned to look at him, women gasped and chattered endlessly, men looked uneasy at first, but didn't mind him after a while, he was young after all. It was good though, that Hideharu had not seen Kanda yet; and it was fortunately perfectly normal for someone of Kanda's "stature" to be carrying around a sword._

"_From what province are you boy?" after being an idle participant of the party for the longest time, Kanda was not surprised someone tries to speak to him, e was a rich man accompanied by two women, one in each arm(both giggling no less)_

"_Fukuoka, sir" Kanda replied, expression remaining blank_

"_Ah, Fukuoka, the place which the Divine Wind had blessed… Beautiful place… Beautiful place…" the man mused "What is your name boy?"_

"_Uesugi Yoru" _

"_Your Master?" _

"_Niiwa Kogoro"_

"_The overly famous and renowned vagabond?" the main raised an eyebrow_

_Kanda sighed; everyone knew that nickname one of the other more known Kabuki-mono held, big surprise "The very same one…"_

"_You have my pity boy, pity…" the man looked at Kanda up and down "… he must have had his way with you quite a few times too…"_

_Kanda remained expressionless; it was always like this, people always assumed he was another one of those apprentices whose masters took advantage of their looks. Nobody needed to know that wasn't the case; Kanda's façade was perfectly fine the way it was anyway._

_The man said he'll be going and left Kanda to be alone once again. Now to focus on his mission; Kanda's eyes surveyed the attendants of the party, he was to look for the familiar face of his brother, approach him, kill him, and run before anyone even notices. Two minutes, and it was target locked. Working his way through the crowd while still looking casual was easy, this was something Kanda was by now quite used to doing. He had to suppress a grin when he saw the shock and horror in his brother's face upon seeing him._

"_Yuu?" His brother asked shakily, no one seemed to hear the conversation, it was like it was only Kanda and his brother in the room_

"_Hello brother… How have you been?" Kanda was horrifyingly calm_

"_I… Yuu I can explain…" At least his brother was afraid of him, and at least even if it was only at that moment, his brother showed the least bit of regret for abandoning him. _

"_Two minutes…" Kanda said firmly, his brother looked even more horrified and confused "… Two minutes to explain yourself, then its good night… brother…"_

_His brother didn't seem to understand the good night statement, as in the two minutes of his explaining he kept on apologizing and saying he'd make it up to him. This was all just so amusing to Kanda, who knew his brother had this much fear for him, or had he heard rumors, and had already known somehow about his younger brother being involved in organized crime?_

"_So you see, I've been so busy with my duties as-"Kanda didn't even let him finish, two minutes was over, and in less than two seconds his brother was dead, nobody saw how Kanda slashed his brothers throat perfectly, he was too fast for anyone to see. _

_His brother fell, and there Kanda stood, faking a look of surprise as blood gushed out from his brother's throat. The day was good, and revenge was sweet. _

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"Do you honestly think it's alright for someone to have loved no one in his life? That even at his death, he seems to have never_ really_ loved anybody?" Allen asked Kanda, after the long moment of silence

"It _isn't _alright, but it_ does_ happen. People like Hamlet _do_ exist, many people like Hamlet think they _love _but when they really _don't_. The people who _do_ know that they don't really love anyone, know it's because they haven't found anyone worth _that_ much affection form them…" said Kanda "…or at least that's how I see it…"

The compartment was silent again, only the sounds of the train could be heard.

"Well… I guess that isn't really the point of _'Hamlet'_ at all anyway…" said Allen, seeming to understand what Kanda had said

"Precisely…" Kanda's eyes averted their gaze to Allen, though his head remained unmoving; emotionlessly he said "… It's the idea of revenge…"

Both of them knew it wasn't merely revenge which was the point of _'Hamlet';_ but it was a theme in the play which was relevant to them both. Kanda remembered his thoughts the day he killed his brother again.

'_The day was good, and revenge was sweet.'_

_------------------------------------------------------------------------_

(a/n: Hamlet will be tackled in a few more chapters. Again, the insights on Hamlet here are all just my opinion, derived from my readings… I'll get into the real point of Hamlet later on… If you notice, I write longer stories for Kanda… I don't know why, but I find it easier to write for him, maybe it's because everyone knows less of his past… Anyway I'll try to make Allen's story longer in the next chapter. I'm trying to steer it towards becoming Yullen-ish already… Haha, I hope people are still reading… I appreciate reviews! (I probably won't reply to reviews unless they have questions though, it's not that I'm anti-social… My computer just lags when I send e-mail… haha… but Thank you to everyone who'd reviewed so far…)

**Important: **Chapters One and Two have gotten some major revisions (some things were added, and I corrected my grammar and fixed the typos). I changed the ending of Chapter one (and about one page was added when I revised it in word), as for chapter two, the additions are shorter both significant (it was in the middle though and not the end). Additions to both chapters add more interaction between Kanda and Allen to the chapter's content (as well as adding more worthy points of the play, though I wouldn't say I asses the plays well). Though anyway, it is still your choice as the reader if you want to reread chapters one and two.


	4. Insanity in Grief

"_Thought and affliction, passion, hell itself,_

_She turns to favor and to prettiness" _

– _Laertes (Hamlet; act IV scene V)_

_  
_**When the Black order Acknowledges Theater**

_Disclaimer: I don't own D.Gray-man or any other anime/manga… so there…._

**CHAPTER FOUR: Hamlet PART TWO **_(Insanity in grief)_

**  
It was raining in Vienna.**

"_You're wounded"_

"_So are you"_

"_Your wounds are worse"_

"_But they'll heal faster"_

Kanda opened his eyes and saw that he was in a hospital room. He'd become severely injured at the fight in the recent mission, and it was upon Allen's insistence that he ended up here. As much as Kanda disliked being in a hospital, he could not blame Allen. He did not know after all.

Kanda sat up and inspected himself. His pants were left on him, but they were suspiciously clean, almost his entire chest was bandaged up, only the part where his tattoo was wasn't covered. Kanda frowned as he touched the tattoo, it had gotten far too big ever since that fight with Skinn Bolic. Kanda noticed his arms were all bandaged up, as well as part of his left leg. He sighed, these bandages were now unnecessary.

He saw his shirt folded up neatly beside him on the bed, rid of all tears, washed of all blood. His boots, which were also noticeably clean, had been placed just as neatly on the floor beside his bed. '_Strange…'_, thought Kanda, _'… had the bean sprout cleaned my clothes for me?' _Kanda snorted at the thought. Then he wondered; where was his exorcist's cloak? A quick glance around the room and then…

_There._

Allen was holding onto Kanda's cloak. It looked like he'd been sitting on the couch beside Kanda's bed for a while, and he had fallen asleep. His mouth was slightly parted and he was snoring softly. It was annoying to Kanda that he found this sight somewhat peaceful. He doesn't know why he's been able to tolerate Allen more, and think of him less annoying than he had (or thinks he should). This was certainly one reason why they didn't fight as bad as before. Allen contributed to this peace as well. For some 

reason, when he and Kanda were alone, he'd try harder on being in better terms. Though Allen did find Kanda's indifference and insults infuriating, he also wanted to try and become friends with him. 

"Oi… bean sprout…" said Kanda

Allen stirred but he did not awaken.

Kanda squinted in annoyance. "Wake up bean!" he grabbed his pillow and threw it at Allen as he shouted.

Allen almost fell from the couch. He picked up the pillow from the floor and while yawning he said "What?"

"I'm healed..." Kanda said firmly "…Let's leave"

"You can't be serious…" Allen seemed abashed "The doctor said you're supposed to be bedridden for two more weeks!"

Kanda didn't answer instead he began removing the bandages from his body. Allen watched silently, as Kanda slowly revealed his impossibly unscarred skin.

"Unbelievable…" said Allen "How-"

"It doesn't matter…" Kanda tossed the bandages aside and rose from the bed. He was buttoning up his shirt when he said "… get the finder, I'll be the one to call headquar-"

"They already called" said Allen "They said they'll call again so-"

Then there was a knock on the door.

"Come in" they both said

The finder came in, holding out the phone he said "Headquarters"

"I'll take it…" Kanda finished buttoning his shirt, and although barefoot he walked toward the finder and took the phone "Hello."

"Ah, Kanda, so you've healed… I've heard from Allen the details of your mission…" it was of course Komui on the line

"… Why did you call?" this was all Kanda wanted, and needed to know

"To tell you that we decided you and Allen should stay there and wait for us."

"… Who's _we_?" Kanda caught Allen giving him a questioning look

"Why we the other members of the Shakespearean play club of course!" Komui exclaimed "… I will only be there for a day though; I'll be back here at head quarters right away. It's the same for everyone else; 

I'm sending you all on solo missions after the meeting… Except Allen and Lavi, they'll be going on a mission together…"

"…When will you get here?" Kanda asked

"The day after tomorrow, until then you and Allen enjoy your long deserved rest…"

Without even a word of goodbye, Kanda returned the phone to the finder. Komui wouldn't mind that, that was how Kanda had always been, as General Tiedoll would say, Kanda was just shy, and an _'anti-social humbug'_.

"Looks like we'll be staying here in Vienna…" said Kanda, followed by an exasperated sigh

"Why?"

"Well, _apparently _our next club meeting will be held _here_."

"Oh…" Allen didn't get what Kanda meant by club right away "…_OH_" he said after a few seconds of thought, he cursed himself inwardly for being so slow

Kanda gestured for Allen to hand him his exorcist's cloak, which he did. As Kanda zipped up his cloak, he noticed Allen staring out the window absently. He was like that for a few more minutes.

"What's wrong with you?" Kanda muttered for Allen to hand him mugen as well

Allen jumped in surprise at first, but as he handed Kanda mugen he said "We should borrow an umbrella…"

Kanda looked towards the window. Rain was pouring heavily outside, and the rain was pelting harshly against the window's glass. It was true indeed that they needed an umbrella.

"We'll borrow an umbrella from a nurse. Let's go, if we ever hope to find a vacant inn we have to leave _now_." Said Kanda

Allen nodded, and they were of.

After getting passed all the shocked doctors and nurses, they managed to borrow two umbrellas from a nurse. The finder offered to hold the umbrellas for them, but Allen insisted that the finder tale on umbrella for himself, and he and Kanda would just share the large one. This was met by no objections from Kanda, who was content as long as it wasn't he who would have to hold the umbrella, and since Allen volunteered, who was complaining?

The rain poured down heavily as they walked down a particular street. They'd been to all the inns in the area, and they were headed for the last one. It would take a bit of walking before they got there though.

"Don't you find the rain beautiful?" Allen said; reaching out his free hand into the rain

"Hnh…" was all Kanda said

Allen sighed at the failure of his attempt to start a conversation. Somehow now that he and Kanda were in better terms it was harder to get him to talk. It was how Kanda respected others it seems, silence. 

The rest of the walk had been silent, and eventually they reached the inn. Unfortunately there was only one room left, though _fortunately_, it was a room with two beds. If given the choice, Kanda wouldn't share a room, but since he was tired of walking around with the rain, he would just this once.

Despite Allen's insistence, the finder chose to sleep elsewhere, leaving Kanda and Allen alone in their room at the inn. Kanda was already rid of his boots and exorcists cloak, and was lounging casually on his bed. Allen sat on his bed and opened his soft-bound copy of _'Hamlet'_. He frowned at the page he'd managed to open in up in… Act four, scene five; yet again Allen was stricken by Ophelia's insane singing.

_'And will he not come again?  
And will he not come again?  
No, no, he is dead.  
Go to thy deathbed.  
He will never come again._

_His bear was as white as snow.  
All flaxen was is poll.  
His is gone, he is gone,  
And we cast away moan  
God ha' mercy on his soul'_

Allen didn't know why but of all the characters he felt for Ophelia the most, and of all the scenes, this was the one which struck him the most.

"Thought and affliction, passion, hell itself…" Kanda sits up "…She turns to favor and to prettiness…" he turns to look at Allen once he's done saying this, and he's met by Allen's bewildered expression. "…And then…" Kanda adds "…Ophelia sings…"

"…Why-"

"You were reading around that part weren't you?" Kanda smirks briefly then lays back on his bed with a thud

Allen didn't answer.

Kanda snorted "I'm right aren't I?"

"How did you… I mean… I…."

Kanda was amused by Allen's loss of words "… It seemed like the part which would affect you the most…"

Allen chose to ignore the weird fact that Kanda knew him quite well "Why would you say that?"

"You seem t have a thing for Ophelia…"

"I sympathize with her…"

_**The following events took place after Allen Walker turned his step father Mana into an akuma, and before Allen began training with General Cross Marianne. The events are told in Allen Walker's point of view.**_

_Everyday, the sound of horse carriages ring in my mind. Mana, where do I belong? What am I… What is this arm of mine? It has… it has a life and mind of its own… Mana, I've still walking, but where… Where do I go Mana?_

_The other day I bought a good pair of gloves for myself. I'm happy I don't need to hide my cursed left hand in my pocket anymore. People don't stare at me so much anymore, it's great, they think the markings on my face is a tattoo, isn't that funny? But no one really gets too friendly with me, I guess it's because I'm too silent, is that scary I wonder… Or maybe everyone knows deep inside, that I'm dangerous…_

_I bought a book to read, and food for the road. I traveled to another town, nobody talked to me there still, and in my nights there I slept beneath a tree. Nobody really seemed to care I was there, and I spent my days observing everyone. This was a nice town. But…_

_Mana, where do I go?_

_Last night while I was staring absentmindedly at the stars, a woman in black asked me if I was lost. I didn't answer. She asked me what I was doing there. I just looked at her. She asked if I was a traveler. I nodded._

_She was strange, Mana._

_She asked me if anything was wrong. She told me my face seemed so blank for a child. She asked me for my parents. I lowered my head; I remembered what happened to you Mana. She told me she was sorry, but what had she done? She sat beside me and took my hands gently then she said "Do not worry, for it is said, 'Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted'. I didn't answer, and I just looked at her some more, she had such a kind face. _

"_Believe." She said, as she squeezed my hands, though I didn't know what to think of it_

_It was later that I found out she was a nun._

_  
_--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"And in that sympathy, she'd quickly become your favored character in the play…"

Allen gave Kanda a looked which was a cross between a glare and a pout.

"You know what I think…" Kanda paused, he thought Allen would say he didn't care what he though, but he didn't, so he continued "…. I think you see yourself in Ophelia, insanity and all…"

Allen rolled his eyes and sighed; he closed his copy of _'Hamlet'_ and placed it underneath his pillow. As he tucked himself under the covers he muttered "Goodnight…"

_But when will I be comforted? This I ask myself. Mana, do you watch me form somewhere? Do you see that I am still walking despite all? This is what you'd wanted right? Mana, I'm still wlaking. I'm still going forward._

_Forgive me._

_The though… The thought I've caused you more pain than anyone else… Was my wish to be with you again wrong? Was I wrong to wish you weren't dead? Was I never meant to see you again? I'm sorry Mana. I should have never challenged death. I'm… sorry…_

_No one should ever do what I did… No one must not be tricked by that man as he tricked me… no one…_

_I met the nun again yesterday. I told her about you, how I did something horrible to you, how I don't want anyone else making that mistake. She smiled at me, with that sweet smile she gave me the first time we met, and she held my hands gently. She told me about sin, and how mine were going to be forgiven if I asked for repentance. She told me about salvation for those who sin. Right a way I decide I am not worthy of salvation, for my sin is too grave._

_The next day Mana, I met General Cross Marianne._

_  
_--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**It was sunny in Vienna.**

Allen wonders what on earth he should do on this day of rest, he thinks of nothing, and he sees Kanda. He was obviously preparing to go out.

"Where are you going?" Allen asks

"I'm going to return the umbrellas." Kanda answered as he finished wearing his boots

"Can I go with you?"

Kanda shrugged "Suit yourself…"

They'd been walking for a while before Allen thought about asking Kanda the question he should have asked before they left the inn.

"Why did you decide to do this personally?" anyone who knew Kanda even a little bit knew he was the Kind of person who'd entrust a trivial task like this to a finder

"… I told the finder to get some rest…" said Kanda and his nose wrinkled when he added "…He looked horrible this morning…"

"Not everyone can stay as flawless looking as you…" said Allen with a laugh

Kanda just shrugged and kept walking. When they crossed the street Allen was struck with a thought which made him smirk, Kanda was in a _'good mood'_, what harm was there in teasing him a little?

"You know what _I_ think Kanda?" when Allen is met with no answer he continues "I think _you_ favor Hamlet."

"… and so?" Kanda replied indifferently "What if I do?"

"But Hamlet is… I mean… _He's horrible_!" 

"I'm like you bean sprout…" Kanda sees Allen giving him a questioning look, sighing he said "… I tend to favor characters that I see myself in…" he snorts "Well, if you could really call that _favor_…"

Kanda grins when he sees Allen's surprised (and annoyed) look but before Allen can recover from the back firing of his teasing, Kanda said.

"Ophelia… Are you honest?"

'_Are you honest?' _Allen remembers the line well. It was Hamlet's, he said it in the scene where he tells Ophelia that she had been misled to think that he had ever loved her. Hamlet didn't love anyone, not his father, not Ophelia. Even in Ophelia's death he did not feel any guilt even though he was indirectly responsible.

That is why Allen hates Hamlet's character; and this is why he liked Ophelia. He wonders though, how could Kanda favor, albeit see himself in such a character?

_Now Mana, I know everything._

_I know why, how… I know… I know what I am Mana… This arm… What this arm is… What I should do… Where I should go! I know it all know, everything is so clear now… I will stop the earl, and do what I feel is right._

_By dawn I will have left the town with General Cross, and so it was at that night, that I bid farewell to the nun who I'd confided with during my stay at the town. It came to me tat I had never told her my name, and so I gave my name that night, she gave me hers. She told me her name was plain, but I thought it beautiful. Her name Mana… Her name somehow reminds me of hope… Her name was… Here name was…_

'_**Maria'**_

They had already returned the umbrella to the nurse they'd borrowed them from at the hospital, and now they were walking in the woods. Kanda said it was refreshing. Allen really didn't pay much attention, he was still wondering what Kanda meant by 'are you honest?'

Kanda sat beneath a tree and propped himself into a comfortable position. For a moment he felt unnerved, and he turned to Allen to see the other exorcist glaring at him.

"What?" Kanda raised an eyebrow, secretly amused by how _wrong_ this scene was. For the first time, it was not _he_ who was doing the glaring. 

"What did you mean?" asked Allen in an annoyed tone

"…mean?"

"What did you mean by, 'Ophelia are you honest?'"

Kanda snorted.

"You were just making fun of me weren't you?" Allen's glare had intensified

Kanda snorted again, and Allen stomped his feet as he walked to sit beside Kanda, he cursed under his breath, and as he sat beside Kanda he muttered "Stupid jerk… What is it with him… Saying so many things that don't make sense… teasing me like… ugh!..."

Allen hugged his knees as he sat there silently, glaring at whatever what straight ahead of him. There was a moment of silence.

"Something tells me that wasn't what was bothering you… mostly…" said Kanda

Allen turned his head to look at Kanda, his tone had been emotionless, and right now he was still in a lax position, eyes closed even. Allen sighed and curled up into a ball, hiding his head between his knees and beneath his arms.

"How would _you_ know?" Allen said in a muffled voice 

"I'm surprised you don't know… You're _very_ easy to read…" 

That was the first time anyone had described Allen as someone who was _very_ easy to read.

_Before I left, I'd told Sister Maria about my new found calling as well. I told her how from now on, I'll do what is better for everyone. But I also say that it isn't for any really noble reasons, rather, I told her I was doing it for my self. My own selfish reasons, my own personal fulfillment, and then she smiled at me again. With that one final sweet smile, before she bade me goodbye she said_

"_Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,  
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven…"_

_I smile and bade her farewell. I didn't even bother telling her that it was impossible for the likes of me to be blesses, because I'm Allen Walker._

_  
__**I'm cursed**_

(a/n: Allen is like Ophelia, but he's better that her, since he learns to get over grief, haha, in my world… xD… As for the final say on Kanda's similarity with Hamlet, wait for the next chapter…and I'm sorry if Allen's memories are a little… emo… haha, this is the longest chapter yet! I have a lot of free time since it's summer vacation here in my country… so I'm taking advantage of it… xD I want to finish the Hamlet chapters when my thoughts on the play are still a bit fresh… expect the next chapter soon… and for those who are waiting for Yuullen (who might be getting impatient), be more patient with me please xD I don't want to rush with these two… But since I seem to write quite fast these days I don't think anyone will be waiting very long… Hamlet part three is next… I hope you aren't getting tired of the discussion on the characters just yet… anyway, the next play will be a comedy (_Twelfth Night_) so yeah just bare the with tragedy for one more chapter…. X3)


	5. The Question of Death

"_To be, or not to be? That is the question-"_

_-Hamlet (Hamlet act III, scene I)_

**When the Black Order Acknowledges Theater**

_Disclaimer: I don't own D.Gray-man… or any other manga/anime for that matter…_

**CHAPTER FIVE: Hamlet (part three) **_(The Question of Death)_

"Hamlet is _in love_ with death."

Every member of the Black Order's Shakespearean play club looked at Lenalee, most of them, in anticipation, one of them, in indifference. Their club meeting was just beginning, and Lenalee was now beginning the discussion on Hamlet. They had just eaten lunch, and were still in the restaurant they had dined in, their drinks, half consumed, were in front of them, the empty dishes with their food had been cleaned away. It was a round table, and as that is they all sat in a circle.

"…He obsesses over it throughout the play; he looks at in many ways…" Lenalee continued "…He thinks about what comes after death, as well as about what happens to our physical bodies after death… He was just… _Head-over-heels_ for dying…"

"We can blame that on the appearance of his late father's ghost… _and_ his father's death in general…" said Lavi "… but what was up with him not being so mournful… his father friggin _died._"

"H-Hamlet was just… He was lost in his own world… Uhm, well in a way…" said Miranda

"I think his intent on revenge, is his way of mourning for his father's death…" said Crowley "… There are many people like that…"

"Or _maybe_, Hamlet sees the act of revenge as a duty, and he's a heartless_ bastard_ who doesn't really love anyone at _all_…" it didn't take anyone too long to know Allen was not in a good mood

"You seem to have an extreme hate for Hamlet's character Allen…" Komui stared at Allen the same way almost everyone else did, in a surprised slightly scared look

"You _bet_ I do…Unfortunately, _some people_ just _love_ him…" Allen rolled his eyes

Kanda snorted, he didn't feel like getting annoyed, not when it was _much _more fun seeing Allen act so childishly.

"Eh…" Lavi looked least bothered among them all "… so Yuu likes Hamlet?" he asks innocently

Kanda rolled his eyes then glared pointedly at Lavi for calling him his first name.

"Yes, he _favors _Hamlet because _apparently_, he _sees_ himself in him…" Allen's tone was retaining the annoyance in it

"…Are you upset because I like a character you hate, or because I won't tell you why?"

Allen glares at Kanda, and everyone looks nervously at the two before Allen firmly said ".BOTH."

"Tsch…" and Kanda smirked, for a about a second

Allen glared

"A-Anyway… Moving on… Does anyone else beside me pity Ophelia?" Lenalee looked at everyone expectantly, yearning for the topic to change immediately

Kanda snorts and has an indifferent yet smug look on his face when he looks at Allen, and he says "Well there _is _someone here who _sympathizes_ with her…"

"Well I…" Allen flushes; his expression furious "So what if I do!" Allen swiftly rises from his seat and bangs his palms onto the table, making it tremble, he glares at Kanda, he was sitting across him "… _You're_ just upset I didn't tell you what I was so bothered about yesterday…"

"Who cares about _that_" Kanda waves his hand indifferently

"Sit down Allen!" shouted Lenalee "…enough of your quarrels…"

Everyone was silent, on when the aura of anger died down just a bit did someone dare to speak up.

"Does share my sentiments, when I say Laertes, was my favorite character?" said Komui

"Really? Why?" Lavi looked genuinely confused

"I bet it's the sister complex" Kanda said emotionlessly

"… Kanda, would you _stop_ being an _ass_" said Allen while glaring at him

"I thought that way too Kanda!" Lenalee immediately shouted, fake enthusiasm almost obvious in her tone; she didn't want to hear the two fight anymore, and the way Allen backed down after she shouted this made her sure it worked, which is why she continued "… The way Laertes jumped into Ohpelia's grave, and hugged her tightly… all too much for a brother…"

"It was more of incest than a complex…" not may people knew the difference between the two, but it seemed Lavi did

"And… And there was quite a number of instances with incest in the play…" said Miranda

Lavi laughed "Like how Hamlet was _so_ fixated on his mother's _sex life_…"

Lenalee giggled "Hamlet hated his mother for marrying Claudius, but he _still_ had a mother complex…"

"Doesn't that make his mother the only person he ever loved?" said Crowley

"His obsession with his mother wasn't necessarily_ love_… I think it was just obligation and attachment, _everyone_ has a sense of those things for their mothers, it's not necessarily love, since you have to admit, he could have killed his mother and lived on without a care…" said Kanda

"Oh I'm sure you're like that too… Why do you_ insist_ Hamlet is like that!?" shouted Allen

Everyone stared at the scene nervously, Allen glaring at the now glaring back Kanda.

"…If I remember correctly bean sprout… _You_ were the first one among the two of us, to ever _mention_, that Hamlet _didn't love anybody_…"

Allen stopped and stared at Kanda blankly, he was right Allen was the first one to mention that, maybe Allen was just annoyed because Kanda wouldn't tell him why; but Allen wouldn't loose. He glared at Kanda and said "…True, but you think it's a _good _thing he's like that, what _is_ your problem?"'

There was a moment of silence, and Kanda stared more pointedly at Allen, who was less confidently glaring back.

"_You're _my problem…" Kanda said firmly, then he stood up and began to walk towards the exit

Everyone looked shocked.

Allen stood up; "Kanda wait."

_  
Kanda had a very good reason on thinking himself to be the same as Hamlet, but that reason would let __anyone __who hears it think even__ more__ badly of Kanda then they already had. You see it was not how he killed his brother that made him think he was like Hamlet, it was something else. _

_It happened four months after his brothers death, one month after he met General Tiedoll, and one week after he'd become an exorcist. He was very close to turning fourteen, in fact there were only but a few more weeks left. At the time he was at his first mission, in Hampshire, and as it was his __first__, he had trouble figuring out who was an akuma among the people in the Winchester, the town he was currently in at the moment._

_Kanda was annoyed at the fact he couldn't even sense the akuma yet, he was good at fighting, just not this yet. Kanda had however, the assurance that he's heal fast, and that he wouldn't die, which made him have a bit of confidence he's finish this mission fine. Besides, how could he die, when he hadn't found that person yet?_

_Of course it was still important to find that akuma, he knew that it might turn into it's true form once it sees an exorcist, which is why Kanda always made it a point to walk to every place with people he could in the day. People stared, because they found him to look strange (because of his cloak and because he was Asian), but also because he was strangely breathtaking to most people, Kanda didn't know that part though, he always thought it was just because he was so young and already an exorcist._

_That day, he was walking in the grounds of Runefield Park, paying no attention to how it had recently been let to a very rich family and how he was probably trespassing at that moment. Akuma were akuma, they were everywhere, of course Kanda was wondering why on earth he wasn't being apprehended yet, but who was to complain? This was better for him; he walked to around the grounds till he was in the garden. There he immediately stopped walking as he saw a young lady of his age having tea; she was probably the daughter of the owner of the place. He briskly turned around and began to walk away, but…_

"_Mr. Exorcist, do please join me…" he heard the girl say_

_Kanda turned around more slowly this time, to face her, he walked slowly towards here. She gestured for him to take a seat across her. He was silent as she asked a servant to get more tea and another cup. _

"_What is your name sir…" she asked with a polite smile_

_Kanda remained looking indifferent, should he tell her his real name? It didn't seem like anyone would cross him now, especially since he was an exorcist. What was the trouble in telling her his name? Few people stood a chance against him now anyway._

"_Kanda Yuu"_

"_So you are of Japanese descent? How lovely! But I suppose that means it would be rude to call you by first name, we had just met after all… and so I should just call you Mr. Kanda" she seemed a bit happy to have met an exorcist, but 'Mr. Kanda' was so weird to the ears "Oh I'm sorry, my name is Sarah Evington, I'm the eldest of the two siblings who live in this Park…"_

_The servant came back with tea and poured Kanda a cup._

"_Ms. Evington… Why did you have me join you?" Kanda couldn't help but feel she had some ulterior motives, though unlike most people who he'd felt to be like this, she treated her with more respect, she was rich and it was best to avoid trouble because trouble is naturally troublesome (and annoying)_

"_I did not think that the rumors would be true… A young man about my age, __an exorcist__? I thought it was unheard of, I was obviously wrong…" she said "… The rumors about the young exorcist being very good looking weren't just overstatements either…" _

_Kanda suppressed the urge to glare at her "…There is a young girl in the order who is younger than I…" Kanda was about to add, and she's been an exorcist longer that I have, but he thought he shouldn't reveal so much about Lenalee, she might actually care about having to kill other people_

"_Oh really? How wonderful, I can't imagine there was such an accomplished lady in my age group… Rare is there an accomplished lady older than, and now she is even younger than me, and is an exorcist! How astounding…" she mused_

_Kanda was feeling annoyed, she seemed to enjoy musing on such things, she seemed to look down on her gender as well, or maybe it was society she looked down on. Who could blame her? Kanda could see how the place had it's issues on gender and marriage, he didn't want to comment, but he was inwardly annoyed at the society. It reminded him of his homeland's society, but women had better chances of being respectable there then here despite it all. At least that's what Kanda thought…_

_A servant came and whispered something to the girl._

"_Oh I'm sorry Mr. Kanda, I have to leave, please promise to return tomorrow? I'll be here all afternoon…" She said smiling_

_Kanda thought about it, he might as well try to please her, avoid trouble "…I promise" he said emotionlessly, but she seemed convinced it was truthful so she left joyfully, Kanda left the Park indifferently_

Everyone was even more shocked that Allen ran after Kanda. There were both immediately out the door, but they all saw Allen grab a hold of Kanda's shoulder.

"Should I go after them and make sure they don't destroy the town?" said Lavi

"I don't think that's Allen would let that happen…" said Lenalee

It was true that Allen wouldn't, but thankfully fighting was not why he had followed Kanda outside, he just wanted answers, he somehow knew he had a better chance of getting them now when they were alone. Allen just needed to know, the question always nagged him, like many other mysteries about Kanda, and he didn't want this to add to the many nagging mysteries about him.

"You _have_ to tell me Kanda, I don't want to be in a mission, and then suddenly remember there's this unsolved mystery about you, and suddenly get stuck not being able to concentrate, because the question continues to nag me!" Kanda was trying to get away from the grip of Allen's hand on his shoulder; the effort was in vain, because this was _Allen's hand_ after all

"All this time I thought your redeeming traits were that you'd never pry about me and that you could live through almost any battle, you've lost your primary redeeming trait. _Get away from me." _ Somehow that way Kanda said that, made Allen _know_, they would_ never_ be in good terms again if he wouldn't stop prying. So he let go.

Kanda walked away.

_The meetings with the girl would go on for five more days. She told him about all the accomplished women she knew, many stories about herself (and her as it turns out, younger twin brother, Seth), and she always said she had fun even though Kanda never really talked so much. Eventually Kanda found the akuma, and he had to leave. She had given him her address, and made Kanda promise to write to her every time he'd reach a place which was __not__ the Order. So she could send him a letter. She also asked him to stay in that place long enough for him to receive it._

_Kanda promised, and for three months he was able to keep it. After those three months however, he didn't receive a letter from her, instead she received one from her brother._

_**Mr. Kanda Yuu,**_

_**My sister wishes she could be able to write back to you, but she doesn't have the strength anymore. She has been terribly ill; it would mean the world to her if you came to visit her. I know it will be difficult, but please, she wants to see you, I've been waiting for weeks to hear from you. It will be appreciated if you wrote back, and it will be even more appreciated if you came here. Please, she might not last long.**_

_**Sincerely yours;**_

_**Seth Evington**_

_Kanda couldn't believe it, at the time he believed he really cared for the girl, even like her, he thought maybe she was maybe his first love to some extent; and now he learns she wouldn't last. That is not however, what he finds himself worrying about most…_

Allen re-enters the restaurants, and sits on his seat once again. Everyone stared at him, then at one another, silently inquiring one another who would ask.

"Where's Yuu?" asked Lavi

"… I decided to leave him alone… I was being too meddling…" Allen had a blank expression, and everyone wondered why he chose the adjective _meddling_ to describe himself "… let's just continue…"

Everyone looked skeptic for a moment, but she began anyway "… I… I know how Ophelia feels entirely; I too would go insane for the death of a loved one…"

"Yes we know…" said Lavi "I immediately thought of you in those scenes of Ophelia Lenalee…"

Miranda nodded, and so did Crowley.

Komui immediately started to be over dramatic, hugging Lenalee, saying that he was so sorry he couldn't be there.

Allen was laughing along with everyone else as Lenalee hit Komui, he tried his best not to think about how to be in good terms with Kanda again. He would not need to face him today anyway, and they7 will be of to their separate missions at the end of the day.

_Kanda went to Hampshire two days later, Komui told him to prevent anyone from turning her into an akuma. When he got there however, she was surprisingly well, not terribly ill as her brother had said; but for some reason, Kanda was now not allowed to see her._

"_It's a miracle really... We owe it all to her brilliant physician…" said Seth_

_Kanda was skeptic, if she was live and well, why didn't she running to him? It was strange._

"_You don't seem to believe me…" Seth looked dismayed_

"_I'm an exorcist; I have a feeling that I'm too late…" Kanda glared at Seth_

"_Too late for what?"_

_Kanda didn't answer, he began to run. No one could catch him, he was too fast, he was too skilled, he opened every door he came across, until finally, he found her._

_She had her back against him, Kanda stared at her cautiously. _

"_Miss Evington…"_

_She turned her head slowly. "Mr. Kanda…" with that, she turned into an akuma_

_Kanda was not surprised, nor was he horrified, he forgot that his so called first love's soul was tied to this akuma, and he forgot that this akuma was the only way other people and he could be with her physically; and he killed it, he killed her._

_Seth was in tears, all he could ask was why, he asked Kanda 'Didn't you love her?' to everyone, even to Kanda, that was what it seemed like. Everyone was wrong._

"_I guess… I will forever be bound to duty… Obligation is my wife." Kanda paused and looked at the remnants of the akuma "…I am an exorcist, that is more important" _

_**Kanda would never agree to any mission to Hampshire ever again.**_

It was not his relationship with Sarah Evington that made him similar with Hamlet, it was the way he lived his life and made his choices.

**He lived by obligation; he made choices for himself alone.**

(a/n: To me this chapter was weird… I'm not entirely satisfied with how I closed 'Hamlet'… sigh… Well anyway, next is 'Twelfth Night'. Next update will take a while… Have to review 'Twelfth Night' first… And sorry if there are typos and grammatical errors, this was the first version so I haven't had the chance to correct any, I was in a hurry to post this… OH YES, I'd like to thank everyone for the support… I never thought people would actually like this kind of story… x3)


	6. Giving

"_Love sought is good,_

_But giv'n unsought is better"_

_-Olivia (Twelfth Night, act III; scene I)_

**When the Black Order Acknowledges Theater**

_Disclaimer: I don't own D.Gray-man… or any other manga/anime for that matter…_

**CHAPTER SIX: Twelfth Night (part one) **_(Giving)_

Allen stared at his copy of the play _'Twelfth Night'_. Lenalee had come prepared on the day of the meeting on _'Hamlet'_; by the end of that meeting, she gave them all a copy of _'Twelfth Night'_, and had Komui send Kanda his copy. The next date which a club meeting would be held was at the time questionable; it depended upon the difficulty of their individual missions, and their availability afterwards. That meant that it might take a month or two, but Komui had promised Lenalee that was only at most. Naturally he gave everyone the finish-your-missions-quick look.

Sighing, Allen reread once more the summary of the play. The copies of _'Twelft Night'_ that Lenalee handed out had a summary of it right before the title page. Though it was not _really_ a summary, it didn't give out much of the story really, it just gave you what the play was basically about, but that was more than enough to get Allen a bit skeptic about reading it. _'Another play with twins…' _thought Allen. He wondered if this play would bring back as much bad memories of his time with General Cross as _'The Comedy of Errors' _did. He would make sure to find out, but he wasn't sure if he could read it just yet.

It was still the evening of the day of the club meeting on Hamlet, but ever since Kanda had walked away from him, Allen hadn't seen the least bit of him. However, Allen did make it a point, to send Kanda a note of apology; he can only hope Kanda had received it (and read it if he did). As much as Allen did in fact find Kanda one of the most annoying people in the world, he really did care about his welfare, and he really did want the two of them to be in good terms. He had worked hard to get a vibe of tolerance from Kanda, and he couldn't let his accidental prying ruin that.

Allen remembers how he felt back when they had to leave Kanda behind to fight with Skin Boric. At first he had offered to stay, he should have known Kanda would so vehemently object, but it was his immediate reaction, it was his reflex to the situation. Had it been anyone else Allen would have probably offered to stay too, but it was because it was Kanda that he didn't stay. Only Kanda could force him to quit that martyr complex of his, Allen would not admit that out loud, but he knew himself well enough to know that for sure. Allen also knew that had it been anyone else but Kanda, he would have worried a lot less, because he would have stayed with that person no matter what. The fact was it _was _Kanda who stayed, and so Allen ended up looking back the door a few times out of worry (meaning he was more worried that he should have been, which in fact, Lenalee had noticed). Ever since then though, he tried his best to be in good terms with Kanda, he wouldn't take any moment for granted anymore. He would be in good terms with _everyone._

…And that was how it started…

Lately Allen thinks he's been trying to hard to get along with Kanda, maybe that's why it's been backfiring. He should just give Kanda some space for the moment…

"...hey Allen…" Allen had almost forgotten Lavi was even there, he'd been silent since they got on the train

"…Yeah?" Allen notices that Lavi has a worried look on her face

"I was wondering… did you ever like someone, but… feel like… that person might_ never_… like you back?"

Allen's eyes widen, he really has no idea what to say, this has taken him by surprise, he remains silent, and Lavi begins to look uneasy.

"Well…" says Allen "…not… not that I could remember really…"

Allen could never tell if he really liked someone. He does like Lenalee a whole lot. Though it might be more of a sibling love than a lover's love… Allen doesn't really know where his place with Lenalee is… But he did truly love her, however. Allen knew Lavi really cared for Lenalee as well, maybe more of in _that_ way than him though.

Lavi now looked surprised as well "But… but you've liked someone in_ that_ way before right?"

"I dunno… how do you know when you feel _that _way anyway…?"

"You just know it… though…" Lavi paused "…though sometimes… it takes time before you figure it out…" Lavi smiles at Allen, an expression filled with melancholy "…the real question is, what do you do next once you figure it out?"

Allen doesn't know how to answer, and so there is only silence after that; Lavi is looking out of the window. The sounds of the train echoes in Allen's ears as he tries to think of what to say, he feels like Lavi wanted some kind of reassurance.

"…I… I think it would be alright for a person just to love someone… and then not do anything after that… It… if your not sure if the person likes you back then just continue loving the person anyway and look out for that person... I mean, you really can't impose your feelings onto others… so… uh…" Allen wasn't so sure he was making sense

Lavi laughs "It's ok, you really don't have to try so hard to say something… I know you have other things on your mind…" he laughs again

Allen just nods, feeling a bit embarrassed.

_They had been on a mission, a very difficult one at that, the doctor said Kanda might not be able to see again if he lasted. He had been unconscious for about eight hours now, and it was very late into the night. Allen was still away, sitting on a chair on his bedside. Normally Allen wouldn't worry so much about Kanda's injury; that was because normally, it was Kanda's fault that he was hurt. This wasn't like usual though._

_Allen cursed himself for having been uncharacteristically cocky during the battle. He had let his guard down, and it was Kanda who was paying the price for that. Allen admits had it been Kanda's fault and not his, he might have even laughed at Kanda a bit when he woke up from this; but no, that was not the case, and Allen would do nothing of the sort. It was completely his fault that Kanda was like this, and now one had ever felt guiltier._

_Allen could not sleep, he remained at Kanda's bed side. What if Kanda __had __gone blind? Allen gritted his teeth nervously. He repeatedly apologized to Kanda, even the he knew he wouldn't hear. He wanted to apologize because it was his fault, because it was his entire stinking fault. The scene would always repeat in Allen's head. Kanda took a fatal blow for him. So fatal, that if Kanda had been anyone else but himself, he would probably be dead right about now._

_Allen was determined to spend every waking second by Kanda's side, he'd never be overconfident again, he had promised himself. He should have known better, Kanda was an ass, but he cared. He would always insult Allen, but he would always save him when Allen needed saving. Allen thinks, he should have known better; but right now, all Allen is determined to do is to keep an eye on Kanda's sleeping form._

_Though it is not long before Allen's body betrays him, and there his head tucked into his arms which are placed on the side of Kanda's bed, he fell asleep. And so there were two exorcists sleeping in that room, and it would be about another hour before one of them awoke, and it wasn't Allen._

"…_Oi…" Kanda's low voice was hoarse from being unused_

_Allen didn't awaken, he stirred a bit and mumbled 'I'm sorry' instead. Kanda grunted in annoyance._

"_Oi__" he said more firmly_

_Allen still didn't wake._

"_Oi, moyashi!" Kanda slipped 'Who speaks Japanese to an Englishman?' he thought. He grunted in annoyance and looked around the room, he couldn't see very well. Everything was a blur, Kanda could only assume that he was supposed to be blind. Though he wouldn't be blind despite what any doctor would say, he knew better, no doctor did._

_Kanda sat us band shook Allen "Wake up bean.."_

_Allen only stirred_

_Kanda sighed a loud exasperated sigh and finally just pushed Allen of the bed. Allen fell with a loud thud, and only then, did he awake._

"_Hey!" Allen jumped up to stand, but his annoyance quickly changed into relief "Kanda! You're awake!"_

_Kanda didn't answer but he examined himself briefly. "I'll be going now; you can stick around here if you want though…"_

"…_W-what?"_

"_I said I was going…" Kanda tried to stand up, but he was pushed back down by Allen_

"_You need rest" Allen said firmly_

"_I really…" Kanda stood up "…__don't__" he shot Allen a glare_

"_Yes you __do__" Allen's tone was firmer than before "…how are your eyes?"_

"_They have __never__ been better…." Kanda tone was sarcastic, but somehow you know he's dead serious "…__I'm going__"_

"_You're lying; your eyes are not fine at all…" Allen noticed Kanda's eyes lacked the angry emotion they usually had, they were not piercing like they usually were_

"_They __are__ fine" Kanda's expression was sour_

"_You're blind aren't you? The doctor said you'd be…You can't even see me right?"_

"_Unfortunately__, I'm __not__ blind, and I __can__ see that stupid ugly expression of yours…" Kanda tried to stand again, only to be pushed back down the bed another time_

"_Just take a rest… Please…" Allen hid his eyes under the shadow of his hair "…else I would never be rid of guilt…"_

_They were silent for along time, Allen's hand lingered on Kanda's chest ever since he had pushed him down, Allen just stared at Allen blankly, and Allen kept his eyes hidden._

"_Fine…" Kanda finally said_

_Allen's expression brightened._

"_But only because I __do __want to sleep… Now get the hell of me!" _

_Allen quickly shuffled away from Kanda. His air was a triumphant one, satisfied with the outcome of events. "I'll be sleeping on the couch then" said he_

Allen does wonder why he cares so much, or why he tries so much. Though he thinks whatever the reason is it isn't important, he'll just follow what ever he feels like is right to do at a moment, as long as he follows his feelings he will never regret anything anyway.

"So what do you think of _'Twelfth Night'_ so far?" Lavi asked him as they walked around the town in search for the Innocence, it was their first day in Hampshire

"Well… I… I think Viola is a very admirable woman…" Allen was amazed at how Viola took the risk of dressing up as a guy

"Have you gotten to the part where she goes to Olivia as Cesario?"

"Not yet…"

Lavi laughed "You'll loved that; their second meeting will be hilarious."

"I'll be looking forward to it" Allen grinned

They walked in silence for a bit until Lavi made a strange happy noise and said "Isn't Hampshire a nice place?"

"Uh… Yeah…" Allen wore a surprised look

"I wonder why Yuu hates this place so much, he refuses to be sent here, I saw Komui try to send him here once, and that didn't work out well…"

That was strange "Do you have any idea why Kanda hates this place so much?" Allen asked

"I think there was a girl who lived here who he was close to…"

"Oh… a… girl…"

"But she died I think… and she turned into an akuma, I believe it was Kanda who was sent here to…"

The two of them paused and looked at each other uneasily

"_No wonder he hates this place…" _Thought Allen "… a girl huh…"

"As a matter of fact…" Lavi pointed to a large house ahead "… she lived right there in Runefield park…"

Allen gawked at the place for a moment "…I wonder…I wonder what kind of girl she was…"

"Me too…" Lavi grinned "…For her to get _that _close to Yuu… She's a miracle worker!" Lavi laughed

Allen wanted to know how she got along with Kanda. How was it possible for someone to be allowed into Kanda's little world? If Allen could find that out, he might be able to be in even better terms with Kanda than before. With a little suggestion to Lavi, he might be able to do just that…

"Let's check out Runefield park…" said Allen "… maybe someone can tell us the story there…"

"Great idea!" Lavi exlclaimed "...I'll have even more things to blackmail Yuu with…"

Allen stopped in his tracks and stared at Lavi dumbfounded

"Ignore the blackmail statement, let's go…"

_Allen was sure Kanda didn't want the attention. He would give it to him anyway. He had given his reasons; he would not stop feeling guilty if he didn't do this. So he __would __take care of Kanda till he was __convinced__ Kanda was healed, eyes included. Even if Kanda didn't want the care, he __would __attend to him. Allen knew he would be met with resistance, but sure enough Kanda gave up after a few days saying 'Idiots can never be told to believe what they don't make up themselves…' Allen wasn't sure what Kanda meant or was implying by that, but in any case, he wasn't resisting anymore, so it was more than fine._

"_Why do you insist on this anyway…" Kanda asked_

"_Unlike you Kanda, I have emotions, and I am a __very__ giving person."_

"_Tsch…have it your way…"_

**I'm sorry Kanda, it was none of my business, and I'll never pry again. I hope you won't take it too much against me. -Allen**

Kanda let out a grunt of annoyance and crumpled the piece of paper. What had that note been doing in his copy of _'Twelfth Night'_ anyway…

(a/n: I just wanted to make the divisions in the story more obvious… My lines didn't appear in the previous chapters, so I'm trying this now, maybe I'll put lines in the previous chapters when I edit them later… haha… Well I just wanted to say that it was so funny to me how there isn't much mention at all of things in the story of 'Twelfth Night'… Next chapter there will be… and we might get a bit more details on one of the back stories in Hamlet… I'm sure you can figure out which… xD I'll be updating soon….I think)


	7. Blur

"_In nature there is no blemish but the mind;_

_None can be deformed but the unkind."_

_-Antonio (Twelfth Night- act III; scene IV)_

**When the Black Order Acknowledges Theater**

_Disclaimer: As it happens, I do not own D. Gray-man_

**CHAPTER SEVEN: Twelfth Night (part two) **_ (Blur)_

Kanda doesn't know what to make of 'Twelfth Night' exactly; just that it was utter madness. Orsino is too full of himself, Viola is too passive, Olivia is too straightforward, and oh, how utterly foolish everyone in general is… Kanda had to wonder what point was there in him reading this now; it was becoming far too annoying. Kanda doesn't do well with annoying, which is why it is very unfortunate, that if Kanda _doesn't_ finish _'Twelfth Night'_, there _will_ be consequences. Not that Kanda was afraid of what Lenalee, Komui or Lavi was cable of doing to him; he just didn't want anything troublesome.

At that moment, Kanda was waiting for nightfall. It was the night of their club meeting on Hamlet when he had arrived in this town, which was somewhere in France probably, Kanda didn't bother to try reading the signs. He understood a bit of Italian and Spanish, but as for French he hadn't the slightest clue. He slept a few ours upon his arrival, Kanda realized he wouldn't get any leads yet, the finder looked exhausted and he obviously could not go about investigating on his own. When the morning came, Kanda got the chance to look for the Innocence. What he found was to him, really, truly, very, very, annoying. The Innocence was treated like a holy treasure in this town, Kanda was too certain that if he demanded it be handed to him, he would be driven out of town by an angry mob. Not that Kanda cared if people hated him; it was just that as an exorcist, he was not supposed to make that much of a commotion during his missions. What lectures would Komui give to him if he were to be driven away by a mob, Kanda could not bear to imagine, far too annoying for him, and you know Kanda. Besides, it would be troublesome if there were _two_ places he could never go for a mission. Given those circumstances, Kanda decides he only has one option, which was, in fact, to steal it. He couldn't exactly do that in broad daylight, Kanda was not the most brilliant of strategists, but he was not stupid.

It was about three in the afternoon, and it was around an hour ago when Kanda figured what he should do that night. If he were to steal the Innocence, and disappear right after, he would be suspicious, if he were to stick around and hide the Innocence for a while; it would be too much of a hassle, and so Kanda thinks of a plan. First he would go out around four in the afternoon, kill some of the akuma going about the town, and then he would return at _exactly_ six in the evening, take his things from the inn then _'leave the town'_, with the claim that his mission is done. People would think he was a dutiful person, leaves when the job is done, that was the truth actually, convenient that. Once they are out of town, Kanda would leave the finder in the woods. He would take of his exorcists cloak, change into plain designed boots, tie his hair in a downward ponytail, then wear a ragged old brown cloak. It wasn't the best disguise in the world, but Kanda was sure it would work, no one had really looked at him in the face, and 

he had walked fast enough to avoid looks. All people probably saw were the distinct features of his clothing, which is why those were the things he had planned to change. Assuming that around seven in the evening, Kanda is in the premises of the town hall, he would be hiding in the darkness of a nearby alley, and stare at the said hall. The purpose of this of course, would be for Kanda to be able to figure out what routes he would take to get to the Innocence, he was making guesses on the architectural structure. These guesses of his would often be accurate, a skill he'd acquired from his Kabuki-mono days. Once Kanda is inside the building it will be easy, he did after all used to be a thief, this was going to be easy. Kanda wouldn't worry about being remembered by anyone, he looked like he was obviously just passing the town.

Right. RIGHT. That was how it was going to go.

Despite himself, Kanda thinks of what a person would do upon formulating such an ingenious plan. Nothing he decides. Though he does think about what an annoying person would do, for instance, Lavi might shout the word 'yes' over and over again, in an eerie rising intensity, and the bean, err… Allen, would probably laugh a manic laugh, or have that poker face of his. But why was he thinking of such annoying people? That wasn't the matter at hand, but Kanda doesn't bother thinking it was unlike him.

Sighing exasperatedly, he decides to set down his copy of 'Twelfth Night'. He was passing time by reading it you see, but there was only a few minutes left till the clock struck four in the afternoon. He looked for some sort of book mark he could use, and there inside the side drawer was the crumpled note. Kanda attempted to straighten Allen's note out after crumpling it. He decided if he kept it, the bean sprout would feel better, and be absolutely assured that he didn't mind, or he forgave him or whatever. The truth was Kanda didn't really care so much anymore, but he didn't care if Allen thought other things of it. Why keep the note? Well the bean was trying so hard, Kanda decided to acknowledge that and be human for once, _but __just __this once_.

………………………………………………………….

"If music be the food of love, play on. Give me excess of it!" the line was said with the most exaggerated feeling, Lavi was ecstatic today "Isn't that just one of the best line ever?"

It was apparent by now, that the two of them, Lavi and Allen, had underestimated how far they had been from Runefield Park. They had been talking for quite a while about various things. Lavi was currently inquiring of Allen's sentiments on the character of Duke Orsino, he was Lavi's favored character is seemed.

"Yes… Though it IS slightly dramatic…" says Allen

"You criticize it so… Yet it is a line with a metaphor favored by Shakespeare… He did after all; use the metaphor a second time…" Lavi was still using a dramatic tone

Allen's nose wrinkled a bit as he assessed the situation, and he decides to be as dramatic as Lavi was, "True, true, but be that as it may, does it necessarily mean the line is generally good?"

"Oh no, of course not, but people think it's good of course. After all, it was such a great character who had repeated it, a queen even!"

"Ah yes…" Allen had no idea "Kindly enlighten me on that?"

Lavi laughs "Why sir, t'was Cleopatra who had said it, in one of Shakespeare's greatest tragedies, _'Antony and Cleopatra'_."

"Oh I see…" says Allen with a smile

They walk for a minute in silence and then Lavi so suddenly laughs.

"What is it?" asks Allen

"I'm tired of talking like that is all…" says Lavi

Another moment of silence, and then…

"Isn't it just weird for Shakespeare to reuse a line from one of his High Comedies in one of his Great Tragedies…" says Allen

"Well he didn't know they'd be high or great at that time… Besides, Shakespeare _invented_ the word weird… Literally…" Lavi grinned

Then Allen sneezes.

The two stopped walking, and Lavi fixes his scarf. "Is it that cold?"

"Uh… not really…" says Allen as he rubs his nose

Lavi laughs "Maybe someone is thinking about you…"

Allen laughs briefly "Maybe…"

Allen hopes that the person thinking of him is Kanda, and he hopes that Kanda is thinking of him because he's thinking of forgiving him, and not because he saw something annoying, and it reminded him of Allen. The latter was more likely, but Allen still hoped it was the former. Yet thinking about it seriously, Allen decides it probably isn't Kanda thinking of him. Perhaps it was Lenalee, wondering if he was reading _'Twelfth Night'_. Though if that be the case, shouldn't Lavi have sneezed as well? Lenalee would probably have thought of everyone in general so… Allen decides it probably impossible to find out who was thinking of him, if someone was indeed thinking of him. Why had he even tried to figure it out in the first place? How was it even important? Why was he still thinking of the possible people who'd be thinki-

And then Allen trips on a rock

"Oof!" he lightly exclaims as he hits the ground

There is silence as Allen slowly stands, as he brushes of the dirt from his clothes he hears… "Pfft!" Lavi suppressing his laughter "Ahahahahahahaha!!" in vain

Allen's nose scrunches in annoyance and you can almost see a vain pulsing on his temples, he rubs his scratched dirty chin and with a tone that was a mixture of annoyance and sarcasm, tells Lavi "Who knew you were such a big fan of physical comedy Lavi!"

Lavi continued to laugh "Im sorry! I'm sorry!"

"Let's just get to Runefield Park… "

……………………………………………..

"_Why Mr. Kanda, do you not __feel__ for Marianne?"_

_All that Sarah Evington received from the young man in reply to her question was a shrug._

"_Well __I__ most certainly __do__" said she, firm was her tone, and sure was her declaration "… in fact, I feel that I am in many ways like her, which is why I sympathize with her, and which is why Willoughby is a character I despise…"_

_Biting into a cookie Kanda shrugged again, and with a rather emotionless tone he said "Marianne wasn't exactly the perfect lady was she… Comparing yourself to someone with such prejudice for the older men, I see…"_

"_With Colonel Brandon? Yes, yes, but only in the beginning mind you, in the end she-"_

"_-abandons having too much sensibility, yes, yes…" Kanda sipped his tea "… I advise you do that as well…"_

"_Oh but that is how I am different from Marianne, as much sensibility as I might have, I always, __always__, make my decisions with sense." _

_Kanda looked at her blankly "Ms. Evington is not true that in your point of view, a thing that makes sense is a thing which is made right by sensibility?" _

"_Well… yes… But that is not-"_

_Kanda raised a hand to stop her from talking "Then I will say this again, __abandon having too much sensibility__. Sense is more important as you should have realized upon reading that book…"_

_Sarah pouts "Oh you are such an Elinor!"_

"_True she was a woman of sense, but I am not like her, she was a master of suppressing feelings, I am a master of not even having them…"_

_Sarah laughs "Oh touché Mr. Kanda, you probably __are__ the coldest person I'll ever meet."_

"_This, yet you insist still that I am kind…"_

"_Oh but you are, but you are a man of duty before anything…" Sarah sips from her tea "Also… you are surprisingly good at conversation."_

"_No I am not; you are just a strange girl who finds a person like me an enjoyable companion."_

_Sarah merely laughs._

_It was their fourth meeting out of their all in all six afternoons of tea together. The second time they had met, Sarah had told Kanda to read this book, 'Sense and Sensibility', which was written by a woman according to her. That was probably the only reason Kanda read the book, because it was written by a woman, which to him made it all too interesting. Kanda did not look down on women really, not at all. It was just that it was remarkable, how a woman would have been able to publish a book, in a society such as this. He had told Sarah that, she laughed and then told him "It is the times Mr. Kanda… The times…" Kanda figures that was true, he figures this woman wasn't the first woman to write anyway (and Sarah had confirmed that)._

_Since it was their fourth meeting, it is safe to assume that Kanda is already aware that he has some feelings for this girl, annoying as it was for him. He had realized that on his own in their third meeting. He would rather not be asked how he figured it out; it is up to us to decide if the reason for that is whether he's actually embarrassed about it, or it's just annoying for him. _

"_Is your mission going well Mr. Kanda?" Sarah asked_

"_Not as well as I'd hoped…" he replied_

_She smiles "As much as I'd hate to see you leave, I do wish you luck with your mission…"_

_Luck __is__ probably what Kanda needs. We all know that this is Kanda's first mission, and although he had quickly been able to recover the Innocence in the area, there was still the matter of that troublesome akuma. We also know that this being Kanda's first mission, he is still quite the novice at 'feeling' the presence of akuma. _

"_I have to go…" says Kanda_

"_Oh… alright…" disappointment is obvious in Sarah's tone "…See you tomorrow…"_

_Kanda nods, and then leaves._

……………………………………………_.._

"My, it has been a while since there was last an exorcist here in Winchester…" the soft featured blond young man said, as maids poured them tea

"Ah… did you happen to know the name of the exorcists who had come here?…" asked Allen, he was feeling a bit uneasy, it felt like he was meddling in other people's business

"We need to know a few more things to complete our record. I'm one of those who keeps the records of the missions of exorcists, and unfortunately the keeper before me did not take down as much as what was necessary for a certain mission that had taken place here…" Lavi paused, looking thoughtful "… ah if it's any help, the exorcist was a young Asian man at the time he was here… He had dark features, but light skin….?"

Allen couldn't help but be amazed at Lavi, he _made_ this his business. Allen thinks if he gets some information from Lavi's questioning it might do him good with his pursuit of regaining Kanda's tolerance. As of the moment, they were talking to the son of the owners of Runefield Park, a young man in his teens, probably only a few years older than Allen. He introduced himself, as Seth Evington.

"Sirs…" said Seth "…I do believe I remember one exorcist who fits that description…." He picks up the tea cup adjacent from him and takes a sip "…He had been… a 'friend' of my sister's… Though she is dead now…"

"Oh, I'm sorry…" Allen gave Lavi the let's not pry anymore look, but he only saw a more eager expression on Lavi

"Mr. Evington, sir. Did he by any chance carry a Japanese sword?" asked Lavi

Setting the tea cup in his hands back into the small plate, Seth nodded. He smiled faintly at the two and said "… How can I ever forget that man…"

"_He does tend to leave a lasting expression"_ Allen thought, remembering their first meeting, which was certainly something he'd never forget. What a welcome it had been for him to the Order. Allen felt like laughing at the memory, but he quickly suppressed it once he saw how seriously Lavi was looking at Seth.

"Why then?" asked Lavi

"Why what sir?" Seth asked tilting his head a bit, still smiling

"Why did the exorcist kill you sister?"

Allen could swear he felt his heart stop.

………………………………………….

"It's done…" Kanda was putting his exorcist cloak back on as he spoke into the phone; he had just finished his mission, with amazing success

"That was fast, as expected from you of course Kanda…" Komui said from the other line "… everyone else isn't done with their missions yet though…so…"

"Just give me another one…"

"I'm afraid I can't do that Kanda…"

"Why is that?" Kanda said this almost too angrily

"A letter has been sent to the order by your sister-in-law; you will be leaving for Japan tomorrow."

"What?" he couldn't have been serious was all Kanda could think, exorcists should never be sent anywhere for personal matters, what was Komui thinking?

"Normally, I would not do something like this, but there are no exorcists at all who aren't busy… Besides, it wouldn't feel as right if anyone else does this… You can even bring back the child if you want…"

"The child?"

"Your nephew of course, your sister-in-law is dying, and we have reason to believe the Earl might get to your nephew when the inevitable happens…"

Kanda takes a deep breath trying to keep clam "Fine…" he said "… what boat to I board?"

As he was being given instructions, Kanda couldn't help but feel, like he could swear this was in many respects alike, with that last mission in Winchester, Hampshire.

………………………………………

"_Eventually Ms. Evington, I __will__ die, and then you shall never hear from me again…"_

"_I know that. After all Mr. Kanda, life will end, as long as you are human…"_

………………………………………_.._

**(a/n: **

There are a few things about this chapter that I would like to clear.

First of all, this chapter has not been checked for typos and errors, so bear with any which are here.

Second, I have made references to other chapters; you didn't skip any did you? xD .

Third, I am aware 'Sense and Sensibility' might have been published with another title at the time, but this is so everyone knows its Austen. As for why I choose that particular Austen novel, it's because Austen was a writer of the nineteenth century, and D.Gray-man is set in the same period, which makes me unsure of what books had already been published by the time that flashback was occurring, the safest had to be 'Sense and Sensibility' because it was the first.

Fourth, Allen tripping is not really meant to be a joke, it can be one, but it was meant to show how distracted Allen was by his own thoughts at that moment. (yes, had to say that, because despite everything (everything being this fanfic's serious lack of comic relief), I don't want to be known for writing lame jokes, hahaha!)

Fifth, if you found Kanda's conversation with Komui a bit confusing, refer to 'Hamlet (part one)' because it had connections to the Kanda's past story there xD

Lastly, anyone find the last line of the chapter familiar?

Ok so that was all, that was one long author's note, Twelfth Night will have four parts, possibly five…. Which is why I am only saying a few things about it so far, I actually find the characters of the play difficult to understand… So I don't have any really valuable insight about them, ahahaha! Ha…. Uh… yeah… Sorry if the Yuullen is not yet really kicking in so much yet, we have to wait for Allen to realize something first. xD

Thanks for all the reviews so far! X3 hope people are still reading, haha… **)**


	8. Things Untold

"_Fare thee well; and God have mercy upon one of our souls! _

_He may have mercy upon mine, but my hope is better;_

_And so look to thyself"_

_-Sir Toby Belch (Twelfth Night; act III; scene IV)_

**When the Black Order Acknowledges Theater**

**CHAPTER EIGHT: Twelfth Night (part three) **_(Things untold…)_

"Romeo! Romeo! Where for art thou Romeo?" Lenalee gave out a long sigh"… We should definitely do _'Romeo and Juliet'_ after _'Twelfth Night'_… What do you think Allen-kun?"

'_I think I'm going to __hell__' _thought Allen. Not that he had ever doubted his after life would be in hell, but he somehow thought that lately he had a fairly good chance of purgatory, but no, no none of that, _'I'm definitely going to hell'_, he thought. _'And I thought prying was bad, I'm getting myself into gravely personal affairs. Oh, sure, Lavi has an excuse, he's a bookman, he'll live, Kanda will so spare him. Me? He'll __kill__ me when he finds out. Then, I'll be send to hell, __and then I'll meet the devil__. My goodness, what to wear when heading to meet the king of the Underworld?"_

"Allen-kun… I thought you wanted to talk…" Lenalee was becoming uneasy with her monologue

Allen stared at her blankly _'Oh Lenalee, I can't possibly tell you what's wrong, else I risk giving you the same fate as mine. You don't belong in hell Lenalee… But… I suppose you are someone Kanda will __never __kill… everyone just __loves __you…' _Allen shakes his head _'Damn, I have managed to insult every person I've seen today… Though… only mentally…'_

"Allen-kun!" Lenalee tightly grasped Allen's shoulders and began to shake him

"Lenalee… "at that moment, Allen didn't know what to say "…when… when is our next club meeting?"

"Well Kanda's not back from his mission… But I guess he'll be back by today, so maybe tomorrow?"

"Of course…" Allen said

It had been a day since Allen and Lavi had returned to the order, but it was only now that he had gotten the chance to talk to Lenalee, he wanted to get everything he'd come to know out of his chest, but now he was against the idea. He was admittedly very frustrated though. At first he'd said it was all Lavi's fault for dragging him there, but no, it was his own idea, he made Lavi drag him there. Then he though, its Kanda's fault, how can you have such a past. How can you have a life which is absolutely inexcusable to meddle in? How? Be Kanda Yuu that's how. Now that Allen thinks of it, this probably wasn't the only 

thing Kanda was hiding. Since it was Kanda, Allen had thought, it would have to be definitely a great number of secrets.

"How was Hampshire?" asked Lenalee

'_How was Hampshire? It was horrible, horrible, horrible, __horrible__. Worst place in the world. Never going there again!' "Amazing, best country ever, would go back there whenever I can." _Allen made it a point to lie about how Hampshire was

"That's great! You were with Lavi right? I haven't seen him…"

"He's in the Library…" _'Writing down Kanda's supposedly __clandestine __history, __I'm sure__.'_

"Oh…" whether it was a disappointed or a neutral tone Lenalee had used, Allen could not decipher, mostly because his mind was in utter chaos

'_I wish Kanda would just get here and be done with it… I don't want to be tortured much longer! GAH!'_

……………………………………_.._

"_I suppose Mr. Exorcist did have good reason for killing my dear sister… Though it is probably yoo gentlemen who can elaborate on that, for you see, in his exact words, he had killed her because he was an exorcist, and that came before anything…."_

"_She had become an akuma…" Lavi muttered_

_Seth was silent, and with a cold voice said "… That is correct"_

"_But he loved her?" Allen asked without thinking, immediately biting hit lip nervously after uttering the last word_

"_He seemed to, perhaps he truly did, yet in the end, perhaps loving her wasn't enough… Or something of the sort…" Seth took a sip from his tea cup "…Do please help yourselves to the tea"_

_Allen sipped the tea noisily, feeling very awkward. He decided not to talk anymore._

"_How did they get acquainted?"_

"_They had afternoon tea in the garden together half a dozen times, and after wards they would send letters…" Seth's finger circled the rim of his cup_

"_Only six times?" Lavi raised an eyebrow questioningly_

"_Well you see Mister…. Uhm?"_

"_Lavi"_

"_Mr. Lavi, have you read Ms Austen's 'Sense and Sensibility'?"_

"…_Yes"_

"_Then I believe it will explain all questions about how swift they had developed in intimacy, when I say than Sarah used to say, she was in many aspects, similar to Marianne…" Seth took another sip of his tea "… I believe it was Marianne who had said the line: Seven years would not be enough to get acquainted for some, but seven days are more than enough for others…"_

"_Yes, that was her…" _

"_You see what gets me questioning that is, the exorcist whom we speak of, is nothing at all like Willoughby, in fact except for looks, he's more of a Colonel Brandon… wouldn't you say?"_

_Allen looked at the two conversing people, eyes going back and forth, there was some tension here, of what sort he could not tell._

"_Perhaps, yet I do recall he was at the time an 'Elinor' according to Sarah, and she did often times find him enticing despite all. Do not make direct comparisons Mr. Lavi"_

"_I was not; it was a mere inquiry for more explanation. Surely you understand that."_

_Allen looked at Lavi with an impressed as well as dumb-founded look, amazing; he talked so well like that. "Did you hate him?" Allen clasped his mouth shut with his hands and cursed himself inwardly for actually saying that out loud._

"… _That is… a complicated issue…"_

_If this had been any other situation, Allen would have been the first to say, you shouldn't hate someone for killing Akuma, but this tension made him keep his silence._

"_Understandable…" said Lavi_

_Then there was tension again, an eerily intense silence enveloped the room, and Allen didn't feel at all comfortable, what was with this? It seemed like Lavi knew something before hand, it seemed like he was trying to get to the bottom of something serious. Lavi chuckled suddenly, but it seemed only Allen had been surprised at that._

"_Mr. Evington, do you not think though that he certainly has his redeeming qualities?" Lavi asked, and again, these words surprised only Allen apparently_

"_Yes…" Seth said with a slight smirk "…Yes I dare say he does…"_

_Lavi smiled a content smile, Allen couldn't help but wonder what significance such an answer to such a question had…_

…………………………………_.._

Why, Allen asked himself, why couldn't he live in the world of '_Twelfth Night'_ where all's well, ends well, where there is much to do about nothing, where he wouldn't be making such lame puns with the titles of Shakespearean plays! Allen cannot even think of one disagreeable character in _'Twelfth Night', _well at least, none that he himself found disagreeable. He supposed many people _do_ hate social climbers, but really Maria wasn't all _that_ bad… At least Maria didn't know things she shouldn't know, should have never known, and ever she had not known, should never know. At least Maria did not know a bitter truth that only a selected few had originally known. Allen hoped Lavi would not bring it up. He also hoped that when Komui knows about the whole thing through Timcampy's recording feature, he wouldn't tell Kanda either. Kanda did not need to know, he should never know. Though Allen knows, that he will know, which is why he has prepared himself from his coming demise.

Allen really did feel very horrible. It was Kanda's business after all not his. He would have to admit he didn't want to die though, he was happy to accept any for of punishment despite all. He hoped Kanda would let him be of help instead. Yes, that's what he'll do, he'll offer to help! Sure Kanda would be annoyed at first, but eventually he'll let Allen do as he pleases, as always. Allen nodded agreeing to himself.

"It seems you've thought up a solution to whatever problem has been bugging you…" said Lenalee

"Oh…Uh…" Allen now realizes how long he'd been tense "… Uh yeah…" He also realizes that to Lenalee, he had nodded for no apparent reason "Ahehe…"

"Well I'm glad…" Lenalee smiled "I was about to force it out of you so I could help but, if you know how to solve it yourself then I guess its fine. Just remember I'm your friend, and I'm here."

"Thanks Lenalee…" as always, Lenalee had not failed to be the best friend one could possibly ask for

"Hey Allen!" the sound of Lavi's voice made both Allen and Lenalee turn to the door "I have something I need to talk to you about…" He looked a Lenalee "…Preferably alone, you know what it is…"

Allen nodded "Excuse me a sec…" and Lenalee watched Allen leave with Lavi

……………………………………..

"_It is my belief…" said Lavi "…That the late Ms. Evington, had ulterior motives when she had first invited the exorcist for tea…"_

"_Lavi…" Allen thinks Lavi is going too far_

_Seth chuckles "My, my…" then he sighed "… I do not think this would cause my sister any harm, and so I will take the liberty of telling you that yes, she did indeed have some ulterior motives. Though I must clarify that not in any way, were these motives selfish…"_

"_Well I'd also believed she was getting close to him for another person… Who was it? Who was she doing a favor for?" Allen definitely thought Lavi was going too far, he was afraid to learn anything more_

_Seth sipped from his tea cup "… I am afraid that is information, I cannot bring myself to say to you… Though I must make one thing clear, my dear sister's ulterior motives were abolished once she had met Mr. Kanda…"_

_Lavi merely snorted._

"_I suppose you were expecting that I'd say that Mr. Lavi…"_

"_Quite…"_

"_You do not seem upset I did not reveal who my sister was doing such a favor for…"_

"_No need…"_

_In the silence that followed, Allen felt even greater tension, as he knew Lavi, was dead serious, and Seth, was not at all happy about the fact._

"_Oh? Would you mind enlightening us all of the fact then Mr. Lavi…"_

"_Oh I'm sure you don't need any enlightening…"_

_Allen looked at Seth, even though he was smiling, he could really feel, that he was indeed, very, very, angry._

"_The person she was doing it for, is a person you know very well…" Lavi smirked slightly_

"_Oh? Who?"_

_There was silence, as Lavi smirked even more._

"_Why, it's you of course…"_

……………………………………_._

"I could tell you were surprised when I said that…" Lavi told Allen

"Man Lavi… You could have at least told me in advance that Komui told you to go there and talk to him 'bout that…" Allen said with slight annoyance "…I can't remember how many times my heart stopped in that conversation…"

Lavi laughed "Then I really shouldn't let you know anything more about Yuu…"

Allen was about to ask why, but he told himself it was true that he would be better of not knowing anything more about Kanda's past. Even knowing just the Hampshire incident made Allen feel like such an intruder, what more if he knew anything else?

"And I expect you will never…" and then after a moment of thought Allen added "… unless I ask…"

Lavi blinked once, twice, and then laughed, laughed, and laughed and laughed. "… he's gonna kill us isn't he? Yuu I mean…"

"Well maybe not you…" Allen said with a pout "…it's your friggin job, me on the other hand…"

Lavi laughed again "Well we'll just have to make sure he never finds out that we know anything about _that_ then…"

Allen nodded, but he frowned. "So what did you want to say to me..."

"Just wanted to tell you that you shouldn't treat Yuu any differently, he could get suspicious, he's well aware we went to Hampshire you see. Also never mention anything about the place in front of him, he gets a little touchy…" said Lavi

Allen sighed "It kind of makes me feel uneasy though, knowing something about Kanda's past that he himself doesn't know about…"

"Maybe Yuu knew… Just don't think about it ok?"

"Right…"

………………………………

_The thing that Allen knew made him sad. He did in truth feel horrible for knowing it. He also felt horrible for Kanda, and somehow, he quite disliked Seth for it. Sarah couldn't help it. She knew she was hurting her brother, but she couldn't help it. She fell in love. Kanda has some sort of feelings for her too and so Seth should have given way. Allen didn't understand, if it were him he would have left the two to be happy. Though he did somewhat also sympathize for Seth… For the one you love to be taken away by your sister… No it was no excuse!_

"_I didn't know anything about their relationship until I had accidentally read this letter that he sent her… His last words said that he missed her as well…" Seth said solemnly "…I was furious, he had loved her, she had loved him, and she had no heart to tell me…"_

"_Maybe she didn't want to hurt your feelings…" said Allen_

_Seth clenched his fist "Well she had certainly failed in __that__!"_

_For the first time, both Allen and Lavi felt tense in the silence of the room._

"_I… but it was an… It was an accident…" said Seth "…I didn't plan on that happening, but it just… she… she __fell__…" he gritted his teeth "…she fell of the balcony!"_

_Both Allen and Lavi's eyes widened_

"_She wasn't sick?" Lavi asked, hesitantly for the first time_

"_No… she was live and well… it was after she fell of the balcony and died that his letter came… I didn't know what to do… But then…"_

"_The Earl…" said Allen_

"_Yes… he came and I…"_

"_You turned her into an akuma" said Lavi_

"_That is what he called the beast she had become… I… I saw her as a best only once before he day he came… But it quickly transformed into my sister again… so I… I wrote a letter telling him to come and then…" Seth eyebrow creased, and at that moment, he looked pained "… when he did come… he killed her…" the shadow of his hair covered his eyes "…when I asked her if he loved her, he said that before anything… he was an exorcist… and at that moment…" He raised his head to look at Lavi and Allen "At that moment, I was __happy__…" He ran a hand through his hair "…Happy, and yet… I was also devastated… I realized that my sister had died in vain and that this person whom I liked was someone who would never put anyone before his duty…"_

"_In the report that Kanda had given our supervisor…" Lavi said slowly "…he said you actually refused to bring him to her…"_

"_I did…" said Seth "…because I was afraid, afraid that he'll notice I turned her into a monster, I was afraid he'd hate me, but apparently…"_

_There was silence, and Seth, Lavi and Allen stared at the floor contemplatively._

"_Kanda just hates everything…" Allen managed to say and to his surprise, and apparently to Lavi's as well, Seth laughed_

"_Yes…" said Seth, still chuckling "…Yes he does…"_

………………………………

"Allen-kun! Lavi!" Lenalee shouted running towards the two

"Lenalee?" Allen looked confused

"I just found out from brother… We'll have to hold the club meeting without Kanda… He's in Japan."

….._WHAT?_

……………………………

(a/n: Dramatic isn't it? xD Sorry guys, the chapter isn't that long… ahahaha… I think the next might be though… and Twelfth Night will really have five parts :D Though, I haven't said much about Twelfth Night in this chapter ne? I also apologise if this chapter is a little chaotic… but I'm interested, did this chapter surprise anyone? :3)

Thanks for all the reviews so far!


	9. Not Knowing

"_Virtue that transgress is but patched with sin,_

_and sin that amends, is but patched with virtue."_

_-Feste, Twelfth Night (act I, scene V)_

**When the Black Order Acknowledges Theater**

**CHAPTER NINE: Twelfth Night (part four) **_(Not Knowing)_

What the hell

Those three words would be what the thoughts in Kanda's mind would sum up to. He would have to admit he was surprised that his older brother had a son. If he'd known all those years ago, he would have taken his brother as a servant instead of killing him. He would have treated him in an inhumane way as revenge for the whole "abandoning him" issue, but if he would have, nonetheless, given him enough pay to provide for his family. Though he hadn't mentioned his family at all to Kanda that night he died, and it's obvious whatever Kanda did that night could not be undone, which is what makes this situation far more annoying. He had to provide for blood-relations he didn't even know he had. He did already assume his brother would have taken in a wife, but he never thought such a child…

But that is beside the point

Kanda had discovered an annoying fact. The boy was a spitting image of his father, Kanda's brother. The uncanny similarity did not even end in looks; they were alike even in personality. Though he would have to admit, the child was a lot more unsociable than his brother (probably because of the trauma he was experiencing right now), Kanda could still feel, that the child was just as much of a swindler as his father.

But that was still beside the point

The point actually was, to Kanda, this boy was a nuisance, and he refused to take care of him.

"I refuse to take care of him" Kanda said firmly

"But Yuu…" said his sister-in-law, Honami

Kanda flinched upon hearing his first name. He felt a tug on his exorcist's coat, and there ha saw the six year old, annoying little boy again. The fact that the boy was six years old, thought Kanda, meant that he was definitely conceived just a month or two after his brother had abandoned him. Oh Joy. The boy looked at Kanda eye to eye his eyes blank, and his expression curious.

"Mister, you were the one who killed my father right?" the boy asked, and Kanda merely narrowed his eyes "Then if it's true mister, you owe me…"

"Akagi…Please…" Honami seemed to be embarrassed

"Look…" said Kanda "…even if I did kill your father… it's…" Kanda thinks of how to say it "… sin that amends, is only sin, patched up with virtue…" he remembers it was something like that, was it from _'Twelfth Night'_? Maybe, Kanda didn't really care too much right now about it.

"I don't care…" said he boy, and Kanda glared at him again

When Kanda Yuu first saw his six year old nephew Kanda Akagi, he immediately knew the boy was special (as well as annoying). It made a lot of sense that Komui approved of this boy being taken back to the order. He had an uncanny sixth sense for akuma. He was a good potential exorcist, or at the very least a finder, or at least something of significance in the order.

Despite that, Kanda still refused to bring him back, not if it meant him needing to baby-sit, or anything as disgusting as that.

"You don't really need to take care of him very well… Just please give him a place to stay, food to eat, all the basic necessities… Let him live a good simple life…" said Honami, almost pleadingly

Kanda narrows his eyes as he looked at his sister-in-law, but not in a glare. He actually seemed to be considering, "NO" he says flatly (or maybe not)

Akagi smiles a strange smile as he gazes up at his uncle. The boy seems to have a plan.

………………………………….

"Allen-kun, are you ok?" Lenalee is standing there with Lavi, her expression worried, his expression uneasy, and Allen's expression, blank.

"Fine… I'm… Fine…" Allen wasn't really fine; it had been about five minutes since Lenalee came running to him and Lavi and told them the news "So… Japan… uhm… _Why_?"

"It's a mission of sorts, but some of his family's involved." Said Lenalee, who seemed to hesitate because of Allen's expression "...It's good that he was sent there, he can bring the boy here…"

"A boy... A… a child?" Allen lingered on the thought for a moment "_Oh my god_, Kanda's!?"

"No! No! Of course not!" Lenalee shouted waving her hands around "His brother's!"

"Ah… oh… Of course…" Allen held his arm uncomfortably "...Of course… I… I think I'll go lie down in my room…"

Lenalee and Lavi just not, their worried looks following Allen as he walked away.

Allen just knew that another complicated part of Kanda's life had come to haunt the swordsman again. He felt really bad for Kanda, there were just so many things coming all at once. Allen wondered what it could be like. Kanda seemed to have had to do some pretty drastic things. Allen wondered what life he could have gone through in Japan. He had heard Kanda had been orphaned and that he had to take care of himself. Allen had his fair share of trouble in his life as well, but there was always someone there, he had Mana, at first, then General Cross (though how good a companion his master was is definitely another thing). He could imagine that at that point in his life Kanda had no one. What could Kanda have done to survive? Allen would admit he pondered on that a lot, when he doesn't have anything to think about he tries to map out the lives of people. Most of his friends and comrades were easy enough, because they actually talked to you. Kanda was another story; he didn't talk, at all. The people who knew him best were Lavi, Komui and Lenalee, for rather obvious reasons. Though Allen had to wonder, why was that even important to him?

Allen lay there on his bed staring at the ceiling unflinching. He wondered if Kanda would indeed bring home is nephew. He wondered why on earth he'd even be _allowed_ to bring home his nephew. Once you become an exorcist, you're not supposed to be with any of your family members anymore. Unless of course… The boy was special. That was highly likely; there couldn't be any other reason really. Allen shakes his head, annoyed at how his mind tends to wander of into things lately (and that fact that those things are mostly Kanda related). Allen didn't know what was up with him lately.

"What is wrong with me…" he muttered to himself, thereafter grabbing a pillow and pressing it up to his face, groaning

Allen figures there must be something seriously wrong with him; he cared too much for someone who absolutely despised him. He had respect for Kanda from the beginning, but it wasn't anything like this. He cared too much about whatever had happened in Kanda's life, felt too sorry for whatever happened to him, and lingered too long on thoughts of him…. He had to admit; now he actually _cared_ what Kanda thought of him. He never really cared before. Why now?

"Why am I even still thinking about this!" he shouted in frustration growling angrily afterwards

Just then his door is swiftly opened. "Allen-kun what's wrong! We heard you shout!" exclaimed Lenalee

Allen didn't think about what he was doing but he walked over, pushed Lenalee out of the door lightly and with a flat tone said "Just leave me alone." And he banged the door shut, he was about to go back to bed when he heard Lavi's voice

"He's that upset huh…But he doesn't know right?" he said, and Allen wants to just listen to the conversation a little, just a little

"No… and I don't think it's a very good idea that we tell him…" replied Lenalee

"He's really bothered by Yuu's issues…"

"Which is why we shouldn't tell him"

"But I can't help but think you know, when it finally happens, what if Allen feels even worse because he hadn't known, he might not admit it, but he cares…" Lavi paused a moment "…a lot"

"I know that…" there was indecision in Lenalee's voice "…but it's just… now isn't the time for him to know… and… it's better if Kanda tell him…"

"You know Allen, he never prys when it's Kanda…"

"Maybe that will change! Let's just… hope for the best…"

"Yeah…"

And Allen doesn't know at all what they mean

………………………………….

"_Your tattoo… has it always been there?" _

_Allen never thought of asking about it again, now that they had nothing to do though, and that they were forced to just stay there in the infirmary, he'd thought it was as good time to ask as any. You see, they were sparring, and as usual, that didn't end well. What started out as a test of skill in swordsmanship, ended up as an all out fist fight. Not that that wasn't surprising, it was how things usually went with them. _

"…_what's it to you?" Kanda snapped_

"_I just… never noticed it before…" Allen said truthfully_

"_It's always been there." Kanda said flatly_

"_Uhm… why do you have it then?" _

"_None of your business"_

"_But it's just-"_

"_It's not __just __a tattoo." _

"_Oh… uhm… never mind then…" Allen decided not to pry into that_

_They were silent after that, Kanda seemed to be sleeping, but Allen didn't know for sure, he had his back against him, so Allen was just now, in turn, staring at the ceiling. The ceiling was ridiculously clean, it was so white, and Allen would close his eyes every few minutes, fearing that the brightness of the color would blind him. _

"_I had no choice"_

"_Huh?" Allen was visibly surprised that Kanda spoke_

"_The tattoo… I had no choice."_

"_Oh… um…"_

"_Never ask about it again"_

_Allen nodded, taking down a mental not of that. Never as Kanda about his tattoo, and avoid looking at it too. Despite that, Allen occasionally steals glances of it when he knows Kanda isn't looking._

…………………………

"What the hell do you think you're doing!? Give that to me right now brat!" Kanda had obviously not expected this to happen

"I'll give it to you only if you agree to bring me along!" Akagi shouts

They are running, across town, people gawking at the boy as he is holding on to the shining green object. They also gawked at the armed man in western clothing as he runs after the young boy, cursing even. It wasn't something you'd see everyday.

"How the hell did he even find that thing…" Kanda muttered to himself as he glared ahead, he also wondered why he couldn't catch up to the boy just yet, he was near though

"I'm more special than you think, that's how!" shouted Akagi

Kanda didn't even want to ask how he knew that anymore. "Just… have… to…" and there "got you…" he holds Akagi up "Give me the innocence kid…" Kanda could take it forcibly, but that would mean hurting the boy, and he already killed his dad so that wasn't really an option was it?

"Take me with you."

"No"

"Take me with you."

"I said no!"

"I'll eat this!"

"You'll what?!" This changed everything, Kanda tried to pry the boys arms open as they hung on to the Innocence tightly "Ow!" in that struggle, Akagi had bit him "Fine!" Kanda couldn't believe he was saying this, but the boy would not give up obviously and there were people visibly considering on 

apprehending Kanda. "Fine I'll bring you with me" then he saw the boy look smug "But I am_ definitely _not going to be happy about it…"

"Didn't say you needed to..." as he is put down again to the ground by Kanda, he face him and hands the innocence out "Here…"

Kanda takes it "Thank you" he turns the opposite direction and sees the finder is finally catching up, once he is there "…Take care of this" he tells the finder, who just nods in response, then Kanda turns to Akagi once again "Pack your things and tell your mother… Make sure to say good-bye as properly as you can, you will never see her again…" he tells him

"I know that…" though the boy seems to be saddened somehow "When do we leave?"

"Immediately" Kanda turns away from him "I'll be waiting at the docks…" with that, Kanda walks away with the finder, leaving Akagi alone to do as he was told.

Kanda still doesn't know what to do with the boy.

……………………………

(a/n: Sorry guys, I know the flash back was short, and I know it has barely any connection with 'Twelfth Night' at all… It was also just as weird to me as the previous chapter…sigh… Anyway I hoped you all liked this despite that. The next chapter will be the last of the 'Twelfth Night' ones… Then it'll be 'Romeo and Juliet' (we all knew I would use the play eventually xD but the story is far from over I assure you). I feel uninspired lately... But expect that I'll be updating every Tuesday this May… possibly even more often…)

Btw: I reread all the chapters, and I'll correct the typos and grammar when I have time… xD I know there are a lot of mistakes, and I'm sorry… Also, speaking of mistakes, one of my "Allen's Past" stories doesn't make sense now that I remember how Allen had actually met Cross… I might revise that chapter sometime, but for now… uh… ignore it (xD) the mistake I mean, not the chapter, ahahaha…


	10. Epiphany

"_If this were played upon a stage now,_

_I could condemn it as improbably fiction."_

_-Fabian, Twelfth Night (act III, scene IV)_

**When the Black Order Acknowledges Theater**

_Disclaimer: I don't own D.Gray-man or any other anime/manga for that matter… _

**CHAPTER TEN: Twelfth Night (part five) **_(Epiphany) _

It was held in Komui's office. On the couch sat Lavi, Lenalee and Miranda; Lavi to the right, Miranda to the left, and Lenalee in the middle. Crowly was sitting on a separate chair, one of the two chairs brought into the office especially for this meeting; Komui was sitting on his chair, which had been temporarily been relocated to the front of his desk. Allen, like Crowly, was sitting on chair, which would not be normally in that room. The ambiance was good, Komui's office had that bookish feel to it, and most of them had come in with a good mood, smiles on there faces. _Most of them_, because there was however, tension for one, which turned to be tension for two, then three, then all; but there are people who refuse to let the tension ruin the meeting. Of course, it might have been better if I'd used a singular noun, because there is actually only one person.

"What I like about Twelfth Night is the heroine is really likeable." Says Lenalee "…in fact, it she wasn't so passive at times, she would have hardly even one noticeable flaw…" try as she might, the tension in the room simply could not be ignored, and she like everyone else found herself staring at the source of that tension as she spoke "…uhm… does anyone agree with me?"

"Oh yes… I agree, she is very likeable…" naturally Komui had been listening to his beloved sister, but of course even he had succumbed to the negative energy released by one certain member. His uneasiness was evident, as he tried desperately to look away, but found himself glancing all too. Komui was grateful that no one would notice, because they all were acting the same way.

"Yeah but… I'd have to say that Orsino is my favorite character…" says Lavi. He pretends to be deep in thought and closes his eyes so he could pretend he was oblivious to the tense aura. "...Though I will admit that he was more in love with love itself, than any woman he was with in the play…"

"Yes, it seemed to me that he was like that as well…" Crowly did not whole-heartedly agree with Lavi, but he wanted to say something, anything, as long as he could say it, because it was the only was he could think of to make himself less tense.

"Ah… Uhm… A…A strange thing I noticed about Twelfth Night is… That, uhm… even though it's such a hilarious play, it always seems to be somewhat, on the edge of violence…" it would be safe to assume that Miranda was in fact speaking for the same reasons as Crowly (relatively the same that is, it would also be safe to assume that their reasons are different on many aspects, as they are similar on many other aspects, or maybe they really just both feel _that _uneasy).

"Yes, I noticed that as well!" Lenalee said, her enthusiasm almost obviously forced "In that scene when-"

Allen laughs, cutting Lenalee off, and then all eyes are on him. "You know what guys… Twelfth Night is actually really sad for me… I pity Viola; love has caused her much pain…" he had been the reason why everyone was uneasy, he plastered that fake smile onto his face, when he was so obviously deep in thought about something else. Carrying a heavy weight of a problem he chooses not to confide to other people. They know he feels bad because of some things he learned about Kanda's past, but they didn't know the full extent of it, and they knew that even Allen himself did not know. The tension was caused by Allen's recent tendency of being moody.

"Ah… yes…" said Lenalee "...I think that 'Love as a cause of suffering' could be considered one of the themes of the play…"

"Yes, our thoughts are the same…"Komui spares himself a glance from Allen and he fixates his gaze on Lenalee "…And it is not just the romantic kind of love, but the love of siblings…" Lavi flinches as he hears a strange sound from Allen, the kind you couldn't figure out if it was a positive or negative sound "…Well… I… well… for example, Olivia's excessive mourning for her brother… She tortures herself by putting herself into such seclusion…"

"Oh yes Olivia…" Allen sounds like he's almost musing, and everyone looks at him awkwardly as they watch his expression become contemplative "…I think that issues on sexuality is something this play has a bit of focus on as well…" and then, he stares far away, at nothing in particular

There is silence, and they all stare at him, looks that are both worried and anxious plastered onto everyone's faces. Startlingly, Allen smiles.

"Ah… I think Olivia could have easily been homosexual…" then he laughs "…there had to be a reason why she'd fall for Viola in disguise, she likes men with features that were that of a woman…"

"Such men do exist…" Lenalee mutters and everyone immediately turns to looks at her, she quickly regrets the statement, but yet again, Allen defies all expectation, and he smiles. Everyone had to suppress their sighs of relief.

"Yes, such men most definitely do exist…" then a pause "I know one well…" and Allen stares into nothingness once again

……………………………………..

_It was on the night before, that Allen walker experienced an epiphany. There had been things that he needed to think about, and when he did, when he thought about them for hours and hours. He finally came to some understanding, and ultimately, a firm conclusion. He would not care on the whys and hows, he would just care about the fact that he cared, and he would act on that. He realized he didn't need to know exactly what he felt, and he decided to just act according to how he felt. It might not exactly be the healthiest choice for anyone, but what can't be achieved, when there is an exceptional amount of resolve?_

_If Kanda did indeed bring back his nephew from Japan, Allen would volunteer to take care of the child. Kanda definitely wasn't a person who you could imagine doing maternal tasks as well, so Allen knew he would agree. Allen had been wondering how Kanda was faring. There might have been something undesirable that he had to deal with there, and there had to be memories he'd rather not remember that all came crashing back to him. He was expecting that Kanda would not be in a good mood once he gets back, and he thinks that Kanda would ask for a mission immediately. Kanda never did like to think about things he found… 'annoying'._

_Annoying was the word Kanda used to describe a lot of things, Allen had noticed, himself included; but annoying could mean a lot of things. Allen knows that things people would usually get saddened by, things which most would name 'depressing', Kanda would deem annoying. Things which make people feel awkward, or uneasy, Kanda would claim them to be annoying. Things which make people happy or ecstatic even, Kanda would most definitely address as annoying. Things which were frustrating, or maddening, he of course, like any normal person, found them annoying, though he did take annoyance to whole new levels. Such levels that no man has dared reach before._

_Allen wonders why he has such in depth insights on Kanda. Even Lenalee who is practically Kanda's closest friend (though he might not dare call anyone friend), does not thing too much into what Kanda is thinking or feeling… Even Lavi, a bookman, does not take into account all of his reactions which he can see, all of his actions he can witness, all of the words he says. Allen wonders why he tries more than any person should when it comes to Kanda. Allen wondered why he felt a lot more worried than anyone else back when they left Kanda behind to fight Skin Boric. Allen didn't find out till later (when they got back to headquarters later) that Kanda was actually supposed to be dead, and he is thankful for that. He thinks that his heart might have stopped if he knew that while they were in the Ark. He might have run like there was no tomorrow back to where Kanda was. Then Allen thinks, yes, it was there, it started on the Ark. Lenalee had guessed he was worrying, Allen made it a point to deny it, but at the moment, he was unsure if he really could deny it so convincingly, he couldn't seem to take out the worry from his face at that time. Of course his spirits were brightened up by everyone, and eventually he just put his faith into Kanda, but he went on with the assumption that Kanda was safe, and that he was kicking some serious ass. Had he known how Kanda had been __really__ faring… _

_As it also happens, everyone had been noticing that change in him ever since they got back form the Ark. He had changed in many ways, but this change which we speak of, is something which was in particular, _

_very troubling to everyone. Not that anyone found it to be wrong, it was just that they didn't know if Allen would be fine if he kept on going in that direction._

_Lavi always knew. There was always a weird sort of tension between Kanda and Allen. The fighting was denial he would always say, Laiv things they quarrel because they care. Kanda doesn't even bother to acknowledge others, he usually only really ever gets heated in fights where his 'opponent' is someone who he deems significant (he would never, ever admit that though). Lenalee was an exception though, he tended to be easier on her, they had been friends far too long. Lavi would always tell the people who asked him if Kanda had some special interest in Lenalee that their relationship was purely platonic. He just really truly respected her, and really, who doesn't grow to like Lenalee? She was far too likeable. Lavi was troubled by the change in their relationship though, Kanda treated Allen like Lenalee more and more, and it wasn't something that Lavi thought would forever be platonic. This thought was brought about more because of Allen's behavior than Kanda's though, still, that was the very reason why it was troubling to him._

_Lenalee felt the same way. She was the kind of person who loved to see her friends happy. Allen didn't realize what direction he was going to yet, so uneasy, he did not feel, yet. If he found out, and then realize Kanda might not be in the same place, he might… But Lenalee was open-minded; there was still the chance that Kanda would feel the same way as Allen, sooner if not later…. Though Lenalee could not be too sure, and she did not want Allen to get hurt, which is why this was something she found troubling…_

_Komui had some idea about it, how they didn't complain too much about being partnered anymore was one give away. How Allen's face somehow lightens up when Kanda's his partner was another big hint. Komui never wanted to meddle in their affairs, but he had to admit that he was concerned for Allen, Kanda seemed… Well he seemed oblivious if not indifferent._

_Miranda and Crowly knew something was there, but they never though it was anything like __that__. Although they both do still tend to worry, what will become of such a strange relationship?_

……………………………………

Kanda has come to have his own epiphany. He had suspected as much, but he didn't think it was anything to this extent. It had taken all night even, for him to finally realize that he was a hopeless case. He did not have any maternal skills or attributes what so ever, and he most definitely never will.

"My god…" Kanda says in the most exasperated manner "Again? How many times will you do this? We'll run out of clean sheets!" no one could have a more frustrated face than him right now

"I'm a child, it's something all children go through" replied Akagi

"I _never _did anything like _this_." Kanda replied through gritted teeth

"Wetting the bed is perfectly normal, I'm six years old." Akagi said matter-of-factly

"Look, that's all fine, but this is what just pisses me off. Why did you have to choose the night when we had no choice but to sleep in one bed, to do the vilest thing to do when you're sharing a bed? _You frickin' peed on me." _

"I did not pee on you, I peed on the bed, and the bed, is most definitely not you. Unless you think of yourself as one…"

Kanda slaps his forehead in frustration and slowly slides it down his face. "I don't care anymore, you're just annoying, I should have never brought you with me in the first place."

"Too late for that now isn't it?" Akagi gave a teasing smile

"You know what, _you're_ the one who's going to been cleaning the sheets…" Kanda smirked "…for the whole ship."

Akagi grimaced.

It was going to be a long trip back to the Order.

……………………………………

Many hours later, Allen was talking alone with Lenalee once again.

"I… This… It all seems like it isn't real... The more I think about it, and the more I know that something's there I… The more I don't believe it myself…" Allen says

"Allen-kun…" is all Lenalee can reply

"But I've realized… that there is nothing else that I can do… so I… I'll just stop trying to figure things out, and just be there…" the suddenly Allen laughs "… I'm sorry; I must sound really cheesy right now…"

"No… no you don't sound cheesy, it's sincere…"

"Funny that… My sincere words are cheesy…."

"Allen-kun…"

"Looks like I have to read books on child care huh…."

"Excuse me?"

…………………………

(a/n: worst way to end a chapter ever… ahahaha! Ok so the chapter wasn't so long, and I seriously had no idea what I was trying to do… and I have no idea what the italicized portion is supposed to be, so seriously, I just wrote what I thought of, so if it's a tad bit too unorganized, I'm so sorry… Anyway, I'm sorry for the horrible ending to Twelfth Night… Next is Romeo and Juliet, prepare for angst guys xD Ok only on Allen's part mostly, Kanda's part, as you might have noticed, has been a source of comic relief lately… sigh… ok anyway, I would really appreciate reviews for this chapter… and here's a question…

Tell me, **what plays do you want me to use in the fic? **

I still need a few more plays to work on, but I don't really have any more favorite favorites so I just want to do one of anyone else's favorites xD I'll pick two… but this is important, don't suggest Macbeth/Antony and Cleoptra/Much Ado about Nothing, cause I am definitely using those three sometime in the fic xD

Anyway thank you for all the reviews so far!shizu)


	11. The Beggining

"_My bounty is as boundless as the sea,_

_My love as deep; the more I give to thee,_

_The more I have, for both are infinite…"_

_-Juliet; ('Romeo and Juliet' act II, scene II)_

**When the Black Order Acknowledges Theater**

_Disclaimer: I don't own any manga/anime…_

**CHAPTER ELEVEN: Romeo and Juliet (part one) **

Allen would agree that fundamentally, if _'Romeo and Juliet'_ was to be compared to _'Hamlet' _as a tragedy, the later would surely surpass the former. Shakespeare was more experienced when he had written _'Hamlet' _though of course, so it is not much of a surprise. Regardless, when it comes to which play is able to touch more people, and which play has come to be the most popular, without a doubt, it would be _'Romeo and Juliet'_. Allen does think of the play as an absolute lyrical masterpiece. Though be that as it may, that is exactly why this play is also very depressing, despite how beautifully romantic it is it ends badly. Allen wonders if people had thought Romeo and Juliet would end up with one another. The play _was_ a tragedy… Such a thing was only to be expected, no tragedy of Shakespeare's ends with the foremost couple living happily. Entirely natural, but it is such a shame. To most people, the pairs of the tragedies are the most beautiful, and they are more in love than the pairs in the comedies are. This is probably why, Allen thinks that despite his understanding of how the play will surely end, he still finds himself wishing that somehow, a miracle would come about, and the words of this play will change. The outcome of the events happy, the antagonistic forces diminished. However, Allen knows, that is impossible. He wonders if the impending tragedies he predicts in his own life could somehow not happen, but it seems that so far, his fate is as sealed as that of the characters of _'Romeo and Juliet'_… Not that it was too bad to die, especially if it was with the one you love... It was just that Allen thinks that even the ending of _'Romeo and Juliet'_ might be too good for him… He'd known it for a long time… He was cursed, not entirely, but if it makes sense, in the most important ways, he is…

Allen threw is copy of 'Romeo and Juliet' not caring where it landed in his room. He had read it around five times now, and it was troublesome. He had just gotten back from yet another mission, and still, Kanda was not back from Japan yet. It was beginning to become annoying_. 'Making someone wait is taking part of their lives away, wasting it!',_ Allen thinks, despite knowing well that Kanda doesn't even know he's making someone wait at all. Allen is sure Kanda did not expect that Lenalee wanted to wait for him before the next meeting. It seemed that Lenalee did not want to have anyone miss more than 

one meeting. Allen knows Lenalee is holding this club as a distraction though, so he could be distracted from his problems. Although Allen also knows Lenalee hadn't intended for the club meeting to be held for that reason. He really appreciated what Lenalee was trying to do, but somehow, meeting with her to discuss a few part of _'Romeo and Juliet'_ every few weeks as they waited for Kanda made him even more anxious… Topics they went to made him uneasy. Lenalee would always talk about things related to the love parts of this story… Those parts made Allen really uneasy in many ways, it reminded him of things, and he had no idea, why most of the scenes Lenalee would say she loves, reminded him of experiences he had with Kanda… Allen thinks it's too soon, love is too strong a word, care maybe, yes, care. Still whatever the case, the love talk made him uneasy. He tried to talk with Lavi instead once, but he got even more uneasy, because Lavi would always talk about the most 'adult' parts of the play…

There was one thing however that Allen wasn't so uneasy talking about, it was, who of all the characters his favorite was. To his surprise, Romeo wasn't Lenalee's favorite, it was in fact Juliet. Lenalee had said that it was taken aback by Romeo's too swift shift of affection form Rosaline to Juliet. Allen thinks that it is not Romeo's fault though; Romeo might have only thought he loved Rosaline, but when he met Juliet, he just realized how wrong he was. Yes, Romeo was Allen's favorite character. Being so in love as to kill yourself when you see your beloved laying cold, it was the most beautiful gesture Allen had ever read in a piece of literature. Allen doesn't think at all bad of Romeo for killing Tybalt; in fact he admires him for it. As much as he did indeed love Juliet, he still wasn't blinded by affection to how important friendship was as well. Allen knows it isn't really good to kill, but given the right reasons… He guessed it was alright if he found it tolerable… Maybe though, he was just really getting a bit off his head lately…

A long sigh of exasperation, then Allen decides to drift of to sleep…

……………………..

"I think I'm just making it worse Lavi…" Lenalee said, covering her face in dismay, squeezing her palms more firmly onto her face she said with a muffled voice "… Maybe I should stop the club…"

"It's not your fault…" Lavi says "…Moreover, please stop tightening your grip on your face or you'll be suffocating yourself…"

Lenalee removes her hands from her face "…Sorry…" she sighs weakly "…It's just that, I think I've been giving the two of them quite a bit of trouble… going over Shakespearean plays is a landmine for memories of emotional trauma when it comes to those two…"

"They just take a lot of things to heart… One shows it more than the other… But…" Lavi smiles "…They are really so similar…"

"To think my plan would backfire this much…" Lenalee sniffled "… When they were fighting in that meeting on _'Hamlet'_ I was so sure something had gone terribly wrong… Why did things have to become like this? Why of all times is it now that Kanda's past chooses to haunt him?"

"Well you know… I think _'Romeo and Juliet' _explains that pretty well…" says Lavi "…It's the inevitability of fate isn't it?"

Lenalee nods. She looks down to the floor gloomily. Fate, people would think that it something that a higher supernatural assigns to an individual. People who think that way couldn't be more wrong… Fate is something which is inevitable, because society brought it about, or an individual's own personality brought it about. It is inevitable, because reality is plainly like that, and most things turn out the way they are, because with the way the world is, it's inevitable. From that, Lenalee thinks that most misfortunes we experience, we ourselves bring about. Though she knows she does have everything to do with what has been happening to Kanda and Allen. She seems to represent a part of society… Although she knows the past would haunt them eventually, she knows she just hastened the haunting…

"With that troubled look… I'm guessing you're getting confused about things aren't you…" Lavi says, making Lenalee flinch

"Ah…I…" Lenalee looks tense, but then sighs and eases up "…This must be how Allen feels…"

Then they are silent for a few moments, and then Lavi tells her "It'll be fine…"

"Do you… really think so?"

"Yeah…Don't think about it too much…"

"But I…"

"Things will turn out well…" Lavi grins "…after all, they aren't Romeo and Juliet…"

………………………

"_Haven't those two been getting along so well lately?" Lenalee smiles fondly as she sees Allen and Kanda are once again eating on the same table at the cafeteria. Kanda doesn't even seem too bothered by it. "What do you think Miranda, there is definitely romantic tension right?"_

"_They… Are they not just becoming good friends?" Miranda reasons_

"_Nope definitely love…" Lavi sets down his tray on the table and takes his seat across Lenalee, Crowly sits beside him_

"_Right! Right! Isn't it Lavi!" then Lenalee looks towards the pair with a pout "…but lately… I fell no advancements…"_

"_It's because they don't know anything about their feelings…" Lavi says with a laugh "If just one realizes something I think it'll definitely end well…"_

"_How do we get one of them to realize that?" Lenalee sighs_

_Lavi grins sheepishly. _

"_We are__ not__ locking them up in a broom closet until they make-out or… or what ever it is you're thinking…" Lenalee scowls at him_

"_I said nothing!" Lavi exclaims, receiving another glare from Lenalee "Fine… just a thought…" he raises both hands in surrender_

_Miranda looks at the two nervously as they plotted, but suddenly Crowly said…_

"_Ah, I forgot!" _

"_What is it?" Lenalee and Lavi ask in chorus_

"_I am returning 'Othello' to you tomorrow." He says to Lenalee_

"_That's it!" Lenalee shouts banging her fist on the table as she stood_

"_What's it?" Lavi asks_

"_We'll start a club."_

_The three blink at her._

"_A club for Shakespearean plays! I'll choose plays which are all tinted with romance… When they analyze that surely they'll discover something themselves!" She exclaims_

"_May-Maybe…" Miranda stutters "…But… What if they end up thinking of more… painful things…" Miranda knows some of Lenalee's more beloved plays are the tragedies_

"_No, I'm sure this'll work…" Lenalee says with a smile_

"_Just might…" Lavi says_

"_Although I am against meddling with the love affairs of other people… I am all for starting a club!" Crowly says_

"_Then it's decided!" Lenalee says firmly "In a few weeks the Black Order's Shakespearean Play Club will have it's first meeting!"_

…………………………..

"But you know… Despite saying all the plays I'd choose were tinted with romance… The first three I choose were just so… _unhelpful_…" Lenalee says

"You really surprised me when you chose _'The Comedy of Errors'_… I mean '_A Midsummer Night's Dream'_ and _'Hamlet'_ do both have romance… I understood they could both help the situation… But '_The Comedy of Errors'_?" Lavi laughs

"I couldn't help it! I became hesitant since the first meeting brought no advancements…" Lenalee said

"Well, at least _'Twelfth Night' _was a great choice; even though Allen's emotional epiphany is not as happy as we would have hoped…"

Lenalee sighs "I guess… But I wonder if _'Romeo and Juliet'_ was a good choice… maybe I should have chosen something that ends well…"

"It does end well in a sense…" Lavi says, earning a weird look from Lenalee "...well… Not for Romeo and Juliet, but I mean… The feud between their families was resolved wasn't it?"

Lenalee sighs. "I think that sort of happy ending is even more discouraging… Couldn't they have gotten along without death? And couldn't love have conquered it all?"

"Did you ever seriously believe loving was enough?" Lavi says with a laugh, then he sighs and stares at nothing in particular, his expression quite melancholic

"What's wrong?" Lenalee asks

"….Nothing…" Lavi says "I need to go… I'll see you…"

"See you…" Lenalee raises a hand to wave goodbye, but Lavi doesn't notice

……………………………..

Allen's eyes widen as he reads the letter in his hands. "Th-This… He's… since when!?"

"Two days ago it seems, he'll arrive here in a week, he has his nephew with him." Komui says "…I thought you should be the first to know…"

Allen shrugs off on how Komui would have found out about his epiphany; he knows it was probably Lenalee anyway… "But… how… this soon? I mean… He was in… Shouldn't it have taken longer?"

Komui laughs nervously "I think he scared the captain of the ship so much that he made it go faster…"

Allen thinks that is likely, it was Kanda after all… It was Kanda… "When will he get here?"

"A week at most… But knowing him, he'll be here sooner… he's like that…"

Allen smiles "Thank you… I'll be going now…" He hands Komui the letter

"Uhm… All right…."

Allen smiles inwardly… Kanda was only a few more days away…

…………………………

(a/n: I can't believe it… I am so lame… Ahahaha… Rome and Juliet will have six parts maybe… This update is late if you've noticed… But I've been busy…and I was exhausted for the past three days so I wasn't able to write this… Anyway, I've decided I will use a few sonnets sometime… Anyway… I have nothing to say about this chapter really… except it is actually quite short… and weird… Anyway, I hope it's not too bad! BTW: I'll fix the typos another time…)


	12. Here's to Love?

"_From this world-wearied flesh. Eyes, look your last!_

_Arms, take your last embrace! and, lips, O you_

_The doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss_

_A dateless bargain to engrossing death!_

_Come, bitter conduct, come, unsavoury guide!_

_Thou desperate pilot, now at once run on_

_The dashing rocks thy sea-sick weary bark!_

_Here's to my love!"_

_**-Romeo ("Romeo and Juliet", act V, scene III)**_

**When the Black Order Acknowledges Theater**

_Disclaimer: I don't own D.Gray-man……_

**CHAPTER TWELVE: Romeo and Juliet (part two) **_(Here's to love?)_

They were set to dock in Bilbao, Spain. Kanda had been told that an exorcist would meet him there, and they would leave for a mission immediately. When he asked who the exorcist was, Komui hung up, normally Kanda would be annoyed at that, but he was exhausted, and for now he found that pointless. He supposed now he would be forced to bring Akagi along, but that wouldn't be much of a problem, he'll just leave him to a finder and tell him or her to keep the boy alive. Kanda was not a caring person really, but he valued life, though he might never admit that in his entire lifetime, he still most certainly did. He would make sure the boy stayed alive for his sister-in-law, even if he would be doing it grudgingly.

As the crew unloaded the ship's cargo, Kanda, Akagi and the finder stepped down from the boat. Kanda had nothing with him really, just mugen, and a few clothes, and what Akagi had with him was close to nothing really, just a few things he could not live without, prized possessions if you will. Now they would need to look for the inn that Komui had talked about, the exorcist they sent would be waiting for them there. Kanda did not speak a word of Spanish, it was called a romantic language by many, and that may have been the very reason that he found it annoying, people say Japanese was too rough a language, but Kanda personally loved his native tongue. That of course, was only his opinion. Fortunately the 

finder was multilingual, and he could speak Spanish quite well, there would be no need for him to attempt to speak the language at all (nor would he have had to bother looking for someone who could understand English).

"The inn is this way" and the finder begins to lead the way

Kanda says nothing and just begins to follow him, Akagi stares at him for a moment, but soon follows him, just as silently. They did not walk for long to reach the inn, the finder held out the door for them, and Akagi glanced at the finder before entering, the finder smiled at him, and being a timid boy, his reaction was to enter hurriedly. Akagi saw the inn was peculiarly almost empty, just a few men drinking in the bar, a few others eating lunch, but what was surprising for him to see was that his uncle was wearing a look of surprise (in Kanda terms that meant his eyes widened just a tiny bit and his mouth parted an even tinier bit). A tiny golden ball fluttered in front of Kanda. Akagi remembers his uncle had something similar to this only it was black. He heard Kanda curse in Japanese, looking up to him he saw his jaw was clenched and he was gritting his teeth. Akagi knew someone was walking up to them and so he turned his head to the direction of faint footsteps, and he heard his uncle take a deep breath.

"Timcampy! Where have you-" the young man stopped in his track, the golden ball flew towards him

'_An old man? No, he looks far too young' , _thought Akagi. He was wearing what could only be an exorcists uniform. Akagi looked at him with great interest, on his face was a strange red tattoo, and somehow neither of the young man's hands seemed at all normal. The boy's expression was shocked, and he stared at Kanda, he just stared. Akagi swears, he almost looked like he was close to tears, but he decides he was just imagining it. Suddenly, he heard his uncle sigh.

"So it's you they sent bean sprout…" Kanda says, and he rolls his eyes "…figures…"

"Allen…" the young man responds "…My name is Allen, how many times do I have to say that till you comprehend it!?" his tone was tainted with irritation, but his face looked relieved for some reason

"Until I care…" Kanda replies apathetically

Allen…Akagi wonders where he'd heard the name before…

The one named Allen sighs in defeat, and then, as if feeling Akagi's gaze on his, he turns to him with a smile.

"Ah…" Allen says "…This is your nephew?"

Kanda does not answer; he thinks the answer is too obvious.

"What's your name?" Allen asks, he'd bent down to meet Akagi's level

Akagi looks at him, hesitating, then he looks up to his uncle, who in reply just waved his hand indifferently. "Akagi" he finally says "…my name is Kanda Akagi…"

"Can I call you Akagi then? It would be confusing if I had to call you both Kanda…" he said with a laugh

"Do…do what you like…" Akagi did not say this in a rude tone, he merely said it in such a way where it would be clear that he had no idea what else to say, fortunately, Allen just laughs

"This boy says the same things at you, yet somehow he says it more kindly…" he tells Kanda, and he gets glared at in return, Akagi had never seen anyone get just a glare for teasing his uncle. He guessed he knew this person well.

"I have a table around there…" Allen pointed to a corner "…I'll give you the mission details once we're seated; I have a finder with me so…" Allen looks past Kanda and Akagi follows his gaze, he's smiling at the finder "…You can go now…" Allen tells him, and then he turns back to Kanda "Come"

Akagi trials behind them, and sits beside Kanda once they are at the table. Allen hands him a thin black book, as he sits across Kanda, a finder is standing behind him. There was nothing said, but Akagi knew that inside the book was mission details. The book wasn't thick, but Akagi still found it too thick to just contain mission details.

"The one on our first mission was thicker." Akagi looked at Allen in surprise, and then he realized he'd been caught staring at what his uncle was reading.

"…Romania?" Kanda suddenly said, his face looking skeptic "…Why did you have to travel all the way here then? Why didn't you go straight there to get a head start, you could have just sent the find-"

"The finder, I know… But I wasn't the one who decided this…" Allen replied firmly

Kanda sighed exasperatedly, always the one to think about how to execute a mission more efficiently "…Whatever then…" he lays the book on the table

"Oh!" Allen handed Kanda another book, brown this time, cursive writing printed on it's cover "Lenalee wanted me to give this to you… You should have at least read it once completely by the time we get back she says…"

"…For the club?" Kanda asks, and Allen nods "Of course…" he takes a look at the cover, then furrows his eyebrows "Romeo and Juliet?" Allen just shrugs in reply, and Kanda sighs "…when are we leaving?"

"Tomorrow afternoon" Allen replies

"Good…" Kanda rose from his seat and held his hand out, Allen gave him a questioning look "…I expect you have a room…" Allen nodded and began to reach for something in his pocket, he placed a key into Kanda's palm "…Right… I'm going to sleep…"

Kanda took the two books from the table and began to walk of, Akagi was about to stand up when Allen suddenly exclaimed "I'll take care of Akagi then!"

Kanda stopped walking abruptly, turned his head and looked at Allen with a questioning look. Allen waved his hands in a crossing motion saying "There's no catch, I swear…" with that Kanda just walked off.

Akagi looked at Allen, he was staring at Kanda, a strange look in his face, once he was out of sight, allens eyes closed for a brief moment, and with an eager happy face, and an energetic tone he said "So Akagi, do you want to see Bilbao's Cathedral of Santiago?" Akagi doesn't know what else to do, so he nods. Sight-seeing might be fun.

……………………………

_On the twenty-first night of their voyage, Akagi could not sleep. He looked around the room to see the finder was sleeping soundly. Well that was no fun, he thought, he enjoyed it better when he slept in the same room as his uncle, Kanda, on lucky nights, he would talk in his sleep. Usually they were not understandable, mere mumblings, rarely ever words. Nonetheless, it was amusing when some of the words __were__ clear. Those words were worth the wait, Akagi could never really remember any of them, but he remembers that he laughed at quite a few of them._

_Slowly, Akagi climbed out of bed, he tiptoed slowly towards the door. He opened it slowly and flinched when it made a soft creak, but the finder did not awaken, and so he crept out of the room slowly. He knew the way to Kanda's room well, and he gracefully made his way there, careful not to wake anyone up on the ship. With great caution, he opened the door of his uncle's room, he stepped in, and just as cautiously as he'd opened it, he closed the door behind him. He did his first usual order of business, sit right there by the door and stare at his uncle's sleeping form._

_Akagi had great admiration for his uncle, for one, he had a toned body and was really quite muscular, but still managed to be very thin, tall, slim, and he still had quite a feminine curve. Allen wondered if there were many in the Order who had bodies similar to his, in Japan, even the finest swordsmen could stay as flawlessly attractive. Akagi remembers the stories his mother had told him, stories which had originally been told to her by his father. She told him of his father's siblings, how he had beautiful sisters, and one even more beautiful brother. He was told many stories about the sisters, but of the allegedly gorgeous brother, he was told none. Akagi could understand now why that was, but suddenly now, he wanted to know his uncles life stories. He no longer wanted to hear stories about a village by the sea; he wanted stories of worlds he had only ever dreamed of._

_Akagi is startled when Kanda stirs, thankfully even if Kanda did open his eyes, he would fail to see anyone in such darkness anyway, but Akagi knew Kanda would be able to feel his presence sooner rather than later, and so he decides to begin to move out. _

_But then Kanda mumbles something…_

_Akagi decides to say, a grin spreads across his face and slowly, he turns towards the direction of his uncle's bed again. Heaven was smiling upon him as his uncle still did not face him, Akagi's smirk grew even wider. He dared to creep closer; he tried to make out what he was saying…_

"…_len…" was all he heard, and so he leaned even closer…_

"_Al… Allen…" Akagi gawked at him, 'Who the hell is Allen?' Akagi thought_

…………………….

Allen's hand was warm, and Akagi clasped onto it tightly with his own hand, struggling not to get separated with him as they made their way though the crowded streets of Bilbao, the Cathedral of Santiago was in plain sight. Akagi was pondering on whether it was safe to assume that it was this person's name that his uncle mumbled in the dead of the night. He knew his uncle did not know too many people well though, and so it was very likely, that this was the Allen he spoke of, the very same one. He does remember that Kanda also mumbled _'moyashi'_ that night, and he _did _after all call this person bean sprout earlier…

"Here we are!" Allen exclaims, his expression bright, his face glowing because of sweat

Akagi gaped at the Cathedral; it was indeed very different from anything he'd ever seen before. Then again, everything here in Bilbao was very new to him, he was not used to seeing people of different complexion… He had been so used to the pale yellowish complexion of the people from his homeland… He looked at Allen, and realized he had an even stranger complexion, even for an Englishman, the young man was still far too pale, as far as Akagi knew at least.

"Ah! So beautiful…" Allen said, his tone musing "Oh Cathedral of Santiago… Even Juliet's beauty would quiver in comparison to yours…."

Akagi doesn't think of it as amazingly beautiful, certainly not more than any woman, then again, he was never one to appreciate architecture so much, and so he says instead "Who's Juliet?"

"Well…" Allen grins at him "… Do you remember that brown book I gave your uncle earlier?" Akagi nods "Well it was a copy of a play, we're in a club at the Order you see, a friend of our started it…"

"You can do that?" Akagi asks

"It may have something to do with the fact that she's our supervisors brother, but I guess its fine to start a club no less… Anyway, Juliet is one of the main characters in the play we're discussing…"

"What's she like?"

Allen blinks, and then laughs "You like literature Akagi?"

Akagi shrugs

"Well… she's… She's lost in her own world of private love… with her lover, and eventual husband Romeo… She's… very loving I guess, kind, elegant, and as you might have guessed, beautiful…" Allen looks toward the Cathedral "Ah but compared to this!" and then Allen muses on about the Cathedral…

……………………………

(a/n: Here's to love? No not yet… hahaha… I choose Bilbao because I like eating Chorizo Bilbao, LOL. Anyway, I think Spanish is a lovely language, and don't mind Kanda, he doesn't REALLY think that way (I guess, hahaha). Anywya, typo's will be on another day, hope this chapter wasn't too bad, ahahaha…. Oh and also, I realized how little I wrote of Timcampy (in fact I don't remember writing him in the story so much at all), I'll try to make him appear more often now, aahahahaha…)


	13. The Differences of Professions

"_O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo? _

_Deny thy father and refuse thy name; _

_Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, _

_And I'll no longer be a Capulet."_

_**-Juliet; ('Romeo and Juliet'; act II, sc II)**_

**When the Black Order Acknowledges**** Theater**

_Disclaimer: I don't own D.Gray-Man…_

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN: Romeo and Juliet (part three) **_(The Differences of Professions)_

The extent of Allen's patience depended on the situation he was in, one can say that the same would go for Kanda, but he got annoyed more easily. There are however, situations in which both of them loose their composure, often times they would find themselves in those situations when they are together. As such, Kanda tends to blame Allen. He never really means all the things he says, he just needs an outlet to pour out all his negative energy. Though one has to pity Allen, Kanda is an endless pit of negative energy. Fortunately Allen tends to fight back and thus their brawls and quarrels, which might not seem like a good thing right now, but it is, most people just forget why.

It would not be right to say that this is one such situation in which both of them are likely to loose their temper. Though Allen is likely to hide his annoyance longer than Kanda, but that's all because of personality, they'll both look horrid despite that. After a good sleep, and a good few hours of relaxation time, Kanda, Allen and Akagi (along with a finder), boarded a train setting out for Romania. The trip so far, was not something one would describe as lovely, on the contrary it was quite the opposite… Though for most people, their reasons for thinking that may be low…

"I need to pee again…" Akagi said

"Oh for the love of…" Kanda's eye was twitching in irritation; he was muttering curses in all the languages he knew

"Akagi…" Allen tried to keep his voice steady, a forced smile on his face "…didn't I just take go five minutes ago? I was the one who took you? And five minute before that your uncle took you…"

"I need to pee" Akagi insisted

Kanda grunted and threw his head back, he was glaring at the ceiling "We've been taking you to the men's room every five minutes for the last _hour…_" he lifted his had to glare at Akagi "…the last three times I brought you there you peed just a _drop_, _a drop_!"

"You haven't drunk much anyway Akagi so; just tell us when you _really_ need to go…" Allen was being calmer about this; he didn't want to scare the kid, though he didn't think that was possible since Akagi seemed totally unaffected by Kanda

"But don't tell us too late either, wouldn't want you to pee in your underwear…" Kanda said bluntly

Akagi glared at him, though Kanda just ignored that.

Allen gave out a sigh, he thought of how nice it was to be quiet again. He stared out the window absorbing the view, what he saw right now was a large grassy field. He thinks of how great the air must smell there, how great the air must feel against one's skin as they run across the field, how wonderful it would be just to watch clouds go by, lying on the grass with out a care in the world. Sometimes Allen wishes he was normal, but that those times are rare, Allen really did love his life right now. He was free in many ways, though there _were_ indeed many things he could not ever do.

Allen glanced at Kanda who was seating in front of him; he was staring at the ceiling for some reason, his head thrown back. Suddenly Allen felt Akagi lean against him; the six year old boy was falling asleep. He let the boys head stay on his lap so he could lie down more comfortably, Timcampy curled up on Akagi's shoulder, preparing to sleep as well (Allen had to wonder if Tim really did sleep, but that's what it looked like). Allen smiled at the sight, laughing a little bit for a reason even he could now place, then, he heard Kanda snort.

"What?" Allen said in a soft voice, his eyes narrowed as he looked at Kanda

"Figured you'd be good with kids…" Kanda said

"I'm not really good with kids, I'm just better with them then you are" although Allen was serious, he sounded like he was teasing, which is why Kanda just rolled his eyes and began to gaze at the scenery

Allen stared at Kanda, he wasn't really sure if he should, but he really wanted to start a conversation. The topic he had in mind might annoy Kanda though…

"Uhm… so what do you think of _'Romeo and Juliet' _so far?" Allen kept his voice soft as to not awaken Akagi

Kanda sighed "I hate it…"

Allen smiled and shrugged "Well it is primarily about love, I take it you're not really into that sort of thing…"

"I am not into love stories, but that's not why I hate it…" Kanda replied

"Why do you hate it then?"

"Well… it's mostly Romeo's fault I guess…" Kanda's tone had been indifferent so far, Allen was relieved he didn't mind having a conversation, though he did feel a bit irked about Kanda hating Romeo, and he made that evident by flinching

Kanda raised an eyebrow, after a short moment of just staring at Allen he snorted. "Romeo's your favorite character huh? Figures…"

"What have you got against Romeo?" Allen asked restraining himself form scowling

"…If you think about it, he ruined everything by killing Tybalt…"

"…well it was not entirely his fault." Allen argued "there was just an unfortunate-"

"If you mean Tybalt killing Mercutio, hat's partly Romeo's fault too" Kanda interrupted

Allen took a deep breath "That aside then… Which one of the characters _do_ you like?" Allen thought he might like the Nurse, or Paris, or even Tybalt. What he heard next was completely unexpected.

"Juliet" Kanda said flatly

Allen knew his face just looked stupid at that moment, but he was utterly shocked. Kanda, Kanda of all people, favored Juliet? It was understandable when Lenalee favored her, but Kanda? This was beyond strange, it would have never been thought possible. Allen thought he'd never see the day, it was totally unexpected, it was-

"Would you stop looking so surprised…" Kanda snapped "…it's annoying"

"Oh…" Allen slapped himself lightly for getting so dazed "…right…uhm well…" Allen scratched the back of his head "Juliet?"

"I don't like her _that_ much, but if I had to pick which character I favored it'd be her…"

"Oh… uhm… then… uh…why?"

"She just… reminds me of someone I guess…"

'_Sarah' _Allen was surprised with the name that first came into his mind, but if any of the portraits he saw in Runefield Park were accurate, then on beauty alone, Sarah Evington was more than just worthy of being called a Juliet. Still, Allen clenched his fists, as the thought that Kanda favored Juliet for hat reason made him feel slightly uneasy. Allen chose to be silent after that, ultimately cutting that conversation short. Both he and Kanda just gazed out the window.

Allen saw a couple riding on horseback, Allen smiled at the site, they looked so happy and content, it was obvious that they must have been having a lot of fun.

"That seems nice…" Allen says, only realizing that he had said it out loud when Kanda turned to look at him "…uhm, horseback riding I mean. I've never tried before, I mean, for leisure… so…" Allen thinks Kanda would just ignore the statement, but again Kanda surprises him

"… it is nice…"

………………………………..

_Long before he became an exorcist, years before his family died, and even more years before he'd joined the Kabuki-mono, Kanda Yuu was a child. An ordinary child at that, despite what most people would say. There was not much to do around the Kanda household. Little Yuu led the most mundane life in the world in his own not so humble opinion. It was even more annoying since his mom constantly brought visitors to their house to brag about how amazing he supposedly looked. Most people agreed, others bragged about how their own children's looks, but his mother would just tell them to look closely to see just how extraordinarily beautiful her son was. She would often say no man or woman, girl or boy, no being on the earth can match up to him. Kanda kept an indifferent face through most of these visits, he wasn't really that amazing. He figured his mother was just that much of an exaggerated braggart, though Yuu did wonder why there were many people who wholeheartedly agreed…_

_Rarely would Yuu get to go out because of these visits, but when he did, he really enjoyed the time. On one such time, he'd met the son of their neighbor, he'd just come to visit for a few weeks, he'd been training as an apprentice under a samurai, and soon he would be one himself. His name was Amatsuki Shintarou. In Yuu's opinion, he looked very admirable, and Yuu did grow to admire him very much. He was a strong young man, and a very poetic one too. From him, Yuu had learned the basics of sword-fighting. He was certain these skills would be useful in he future. But swordsmanship was not what Kanda thought to be the best thing he'd learned from Shintarou. To him it was riding a horse._

"_Just relax, if you're too tense, the horse will feel it, and he'll grow tense too. Let him know you trust him, relax…" Shintarou told him, as he sat on the back of a horse for the first time. "…don't be so stiff Yuu" he laughs_

"_I'm trying…" Yuu replies grasping the rope tightly, he was having a little trouble balancing at the moment, and it didn't help that his horse was waving his head around. He wills himself to relax, closing his eyes, taking deep breaths, telling himself that this was easy. Opening his eyes he found that the horse had become lax too. He almost smiled but he didn't, Yuu refused to show how pleased he was with himself, he hated to appear smug, it was not part of his façade._

"_That's good, now your horse is tamed, so he'll just follow my horses lead…" Shintarou says "..count to five after I start moving, then kick his sides lightly so he'll start running…" _

_Yuu nods._

_And so goes his first time on a horse…_

_His mother was very pleased. Immediately she suggested that Kanda become Shintarou's apprentice. For the first time, his mother had done something to make Yuu ecstatic. He did not show his joy too much, but he merely smiled and agreed to the proposal. Not surprisingly Shintarou agreed to this, and that night there was a celebration. Naturally there was good food, and liquor. Shintarou drank a __lot__ of liquor. Yuu chose to stay in his room even though he was technically the cause for this celebration. His mom didn't mind, she usually let him do whatever he wanted anyway, as long as he stayed attractive when he did whatever it was that he did. _

_Yuu was just about to sleep, annoyed by the noise from outside. His room was at the end of the house, far away from where the party was being held, but he could still hear the noise. Suddenly he heard his door slide open, and then it slid close. He turned to see who is was, and with what he saw, despite himself, his expression brightened. It was Shintarou. No words were said, Shintarou just slowly walked up to him then stared, he just stared, for what seemed like an eternity, then he dove down. He sat in front of Yuu, grasping both of his shoulders, and he just continued to stare. Slowly, Shintarou leaned closer, and before Yuu even knew what was happening, Shintarou was gliding his lips across his neck._

_He asked what Shintarou was doing, but he got now reply. Shitarou then began whispering something, Yuu could make it out as parts of the love poems he had made. Yuu was horrified, not at what Shintrou was doing, but at what he was saying. It seemed he'd thought that this sort of attraction was mutual between then. Yuu did not even know about this attraction at all, he looked older than he really was, but he was just after all a mere child of eight. As he felt his clothes being removed, Yuu stopped caring about his pride for just that moment, and he screamed. He screamed because he didn't want this, he screamed because he wanted Shintarou to understand._

_Yuu's father came running into the room, he pulled Shintarou away form Yuu and knocked him out cold. Yuu's mother embraced him tightly, saying that she would not let him become such an apprentice, she did not want her beautiful little boy to be tainted and dirtied. She promised to never let him out of the house again, something Yuu wasn't entirely happy about. Shintarou was never allowed into the Kanda family's household again._

……………………………….

"…Do you think they understood?" Allen was startled when Kanda suddenly talked, it seemed like it had been hours since the last time anyone had spoken.

"Uhm… what?" Allen asked shakily

"Romeo and Juliet, when they consummated their marriage… Do you think they understood what it meant to do that, do you think they were sure that the other felt as strongly as that?"

"Well I… maybe they did, I mean they were both swearing their undying love to each other and such so…"

"Never mind…" Kanda says "…that was the most moronic thing I ever said, forget about it…" Kanda looked at Allen sharply "…Don't tell anyone"

"It's a promise…" Allen says with a nervous laugh, not that he was scared of what Kanda might do it was just that…. He was scared of what Kanda might do…

Kanda thought about that night. Shintarou was whispering about how he was happy he felt the same way, but Kanda didn't and that night all he wanted to do was make the man he once looked up to understand that he didn't. Kanda never grew to hate Shintarou, because his intentions on trying to sleep with him were ones that felt like Juliets.

_A mere profession, of undying love…._

……………………_.._

(a/n: Not that Romeo didn't consummate with Juliet for the same reasons, but you know, it WAS a turn off, his switch from one woman to another… Ahahaha… anyway…. Is this chapter too weird? I was having a bit of doubts on doing a chapter with themes like this… But still, I hope it was ok… Sorry if Kanda is a bit OOC in this chapter (a bit, ha! A lot, LOL)…. ANYWAY… That's all, hope it was a good enough update xD)


	14. In Death

"_Death, that hath suck'd the honey of thy breath, _

_Hath had no power yet upon thy beauty: _

_Thou art not conquer'd; beauty's ensign yet_

_Is crimson in thy lips and in thy cheeks, _

_And death's pale flag is not advanced there."_

_**-Romeo ('Romeo and Juliet'; act V; sc III)**_

**When the Black Order Acknowledges Theater**

_Disclaimer: I don't own D.Gray-man_

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN: Romeo and Juliet (part four) **_(In Death)_

_His breathing was labored, as he leaned against the cold stone wall. The day was not good, it was if the heavens were against them as rain began to fall, and the akuma began to increase. He could see blood, but he is pretty sure it is his own; he'd taken a pretty bad hit to the head back there. His rest would be brief; for he was sure another akuma would find him shortly. What was worse was he could not find his partner at all. His right arm was injured, and he thinks he might have sprained an ankle; all in all he was just sure that he was in pain. But he absolutely could not tend to the pain right now; he had to will himself not to care about it, because he couldn't afford it. It was either endure the pain or die. Allen Walker was not having the nicest of days._

_He walked out into the open, already drenched in his own sweat and rain, the drops pelting onto his body didn't really matter right now. Unsurprisingly, akuma crowded in the area, all trying to go for an attack. Allen thinks that he'd better get this over with, he left Akagi with the finder, and told them to go as far away from the 'battlefield' as possible and come back only if the battle is evidently over. If however he and Kanda were to die, he told to finder to bring Akagi back to the Order, and put him under the care of Lavi and Lenalee, or anyone as trustworthy at least. _

_As for where Kanda was Allen had no idea. Where did that guy go off to? It was unlike him to be caught up somewhere. Then again the city was very big, and the chances of finding each other whilst killing of akuma were close to zero. Allen tries to tell himself that he has to worry about himself before he does about Kanda, but his own affections for the swordsman as well as the martyr complex he'd never admit to, was indeed getting the best of him. He was not making the best moves right now, in fact he was getting injured again. He thinks his ankle has gone from sprained to broken._

"_Oh shoot…" Allen tumbles to the cold cement and he ends up rolling in the ground. The round stones embedded on the cement bruise him further, and he groans in pain_

_The akuma goes nearer, seemingly observing him; somehow Allen thinks that is the thing's sadistic look. It didn't matter at the moment, he had to do something. Miraculously Allen manages to get up. For some reason, he is even more glorious now, like he's glowing, if it's his determination or something else one can't really place. But one thing was apparent; Allen Walker definitely __looked __ready for a battle to the death. Which meant only one thing, he was about to succumb to his martyr complex. Come what may._

_Allen charges for the akuma, shouting at the top of his lungs, putting his life into the next blows, he manages to kill three in less than a minute. He was pretty sure though, that there had been four there earlier._

"_Baka Moyashi!" Allen didn't understand that, but he did now it was in fact Kanda's voice, he turns around, there's a bright light, Allen doesn't like at all what he sees next._

……………………_._

Akagi leaned against the wall next to the door; with him he had new bandages, cotton, and antiseptic. They were on a tray along with other things used to tend to wounds. He was instructed to get these things by Allen, and he was to bring them to his uncle's room. Akagi however, could not bring himself to enter just yet, not when they were having a discussion like this. It didn't seem right to enter the room and interrupt, nor could he bring himself to leave. He knew eavesdropping was wrong, but he just could not help himself. Akagi focused on the voices he heard from where he was.

"That's not the point Kanda, it's not that your-"

"Then what is the point?" Kanda snapped

There was a pause "Well…" Akagi could feel the anxiety in Allen's voice "Since…Since you ended up _this_ wounded… does… does that mean… your life is shorter?"

The silence that followed made Akagi uneasy, he didn't know what Allen had meant by that.

"Where did you learn about that?" Akagi shivered at the coldness of his uncles voice

"You don't need to know that…" Allen's voice was just as cold, Akagi remembers Allen being on the phone, his expression horrified the whole time, and it was when his uncle was still unconscious. Akagi has a feeling that was when the snow-haired boy had learned of whatever it was they were talking about.

Once again there was an unnerving silence, Akagi thinks that maybe his uncle will shout at Allen, demand to know who told him. It seemed like whatever Allen knew, Kanda didn't want him to know.

"…my wounds will all heal in time; you will not see even a scar…" Kanda says

Akagi feels like an intruder now, his uncle's tone was sort of affectionate, if that was even possible. Never the less, Akagi decides to leave, and he does. He thinks he knows what that strange look was now, the one Allen's face made when he looked at Kanda in that inn's restaurant back in Bilbao. Akagi was not naïve like other six year olds though; he'd keep this information to himself for now.

…………………………

"…my wounds will all heal in time; you will not see even a scar…" Kanda says

"But you used to heal more quickly…" Allen knew this to be true, even if he did only base the statement on the evident difference between Kanda's healing rate on their previous mission together, and this current mission. Allen knows that the healing rate is getting slower and slower, he is not happy about that.

Kanda sighed "You don't need to worry about me…" it was three seconds later that he realized it was too affectionate a statement, and so he added "…you should just look after your own sorry ass, it's every man for himself out there…"

"Then why did you save me?" Allen's face was furious.

Kanda looked surprised at the expression, and the question he did not answer. He couldn't answer it, because there was no reason. He didn't know why, he just did, it was not complicated. He just saved him. There didn't need to be a reason.

"You're being unfair…" Allen's voice was trembling "You're being…" a deep breath "…unfair…"

Despite himself, Kanda also took a deep breath "How so?" he said

"What gives you the right to tell me not to care?" Allen shouts furiously

"I'm not asking you not to care"

"Yes you are! You're saying you're allowed to risk your neck for me but-"

"I'm saying you need to quit that martyr complex of yours!"

"Martyr complex?! _Martyr Complex!?_ Is it me who's injured because I received an attack for another person? Not even raising my weapon while I was at it?"

"But _you're _blaming yourself for it!"

"Why does that concern you?"

"Why does that concern _you?"_

"You're not making any sense!"

"Yes I am! You're just too much of a bean sprout to understand what I meant!"

"What did you say!?"

They scowled at each other, but there was spite in either's eyes. It was weird, somehow their glares died down, and eventually they were just staring. Kanda looks away to the other side of his bed, the one where the wall was, the one where Allen wasn't sitting. He hears Allen murmuring why over and over again, and he could swear the boy was just suppressing his tears now.

"Why what?" Kanda almost instantly regretted asking

"Why are you allowed to risk your life for me, and yet you don't allow me to do the same?..." Allen's voice was soft

Why indeed, thought Kanda. He did think of one reason, but it wasn't one he enjoyed saying, so he said only part of it. "… better me than you…"

"What!?" the anger in Allen's voice made Kanda flinch

"I couldn't possibly live with myself if you became_ anything_ like me…" Kanda regrets saying that too, for various reasons, one being that he himself did not know why on earth he said that, or what on earth he meant by it

"Wh-What?" Allen was stuttering, all anger gone, just surprise in his tone

"…n…Never mind…" Kanda said with a sigh, he just wanted to stop this conversation now, and if possible he wanted Allen to leave him alone. But then he heard a sniffle "You're _crying_?"

"Is it so wrong?" Allen retorted

"I didn't mean…I… I mean…" Kanda breathed "You're crying." He said it like a statement this time

"So what if I am?"

"Don't do such unnecessary things…"

"Oh, and what you did out there wasn't unnecessary? I could have managed…"

"Like hell you coulda'…" Kanda said with a snort

And then there was silence, eventually there came the sounds of Allen's soft sobbing, neither of them knew why he was crying.

"So selfish… Have you _ever_ tried to think about how _I_ feel…"

Kanda didn't really know what to say to at, but before he could think of any reply, something came out of his mouth, he didn't know why "Yes I have…" he gritted his teeth "Yes I have and I want you to just _stop it_!"

"St-stop what?" confused was his tone

Kanda grunted "This is stupid!" he looked at Allen "… It was better when you hated me…"

"When did I stop hating you!" Allen shouted "I hate you! I hate you! _I hate you!" _ he trembled as he started crying anymore "You stupid ,stupid dumbass… _I hate you_…"

"Act like it then…" Kanda said "Don't give me that martyr complex of yours…"

"Then act like you hate me too!" Allen shouted

"I will" Kanda said firmly "…because I do, I _do_ hate you"

And Allen wishes that didn't hurt, but it did…

………………….

_The battle was over._

"_Don't die… please… __please__!" he clutched desperately onto his body, tears flowing down his eyes as his grasped tightened by the second "You idiot… you idiot… why…" a grunt of frustration, and tears fall faster, they are soaked by the rain "…I have to get you to a hospital… I" frantically his head began to look around._

_The battle was over, and they had won._

_He carried him and began to run. His heart was beating furiously, and the tears just wouldn't stop, he just could not die, he couldn't. "Help! I need help!" No one would help of course, the people fled because of the akuma, and those who didn't would be too scared to even try helping, and then the a light._

"_Uncle!" Akagi held a bright lamp as he ran towards them, he clutched onto his rain coat, as the rain poured down more heavily_

_To him it didn't really matter, this is what mattered._

_Allen clutched onto the body more tightly, the pain finally getting the best of him, he collapses clutching onto Kanda's profusely bleeding body still. He hears Akagi shout his name, followed by Uncle. He knows the finder is there too because he hears instructions, and he feels someone trying to take Kanda from his arms, but he wouldn't let them. If he was going to die anyway he'd prefer it if he died there. Right there in his arms._

"_It's going to be ok… It's going to be ok…" he hears Akagi say, Allen admires the boy for his maturity, but he knows that the six year old is crying right now, crying just as much as he is._

_Allen wonders if this is how Juliet felt when she saw Romeo there, he'd killed himself. Allen just knows Juliet knew she was the cause of it. Allen thinks that Kanda was a fool to hate Romeo. They are so alike, they are both such idiots. They never think of how everyone else would feel. But Allen thinks he and Juliet are both idiots too, if only they weren't so selfish. Allen wishes that the first thing he sees is Kanda, live and well, but he next thing he sees is the ceiling of a hospital room._

_He then learns he's still crying._

……………...

"You told Allen!?" Lenalee expression was mortified

"Slip of the tongue?" Komui was regretting what he'd done

"How could you do that brother!?"

"Easy, he picked up the phone, found out it was Allen, something came up, and boom…" Lavi paused "…he told him"

"Lavi…" Lenalee narrowed her eyes as she looked at him, Lavi raised both hands and just backed off

"We need to do something about this when they get back, they're probably fighting…" Lenalee said with a worried look

"Knowing Yuu they probably are…" Lavi added, but before Lenalee could even scowl at him he adds "We had _got_ to fix this"

…………………………

(a/n: Something good will come out of all this eventually… The 'Romeo and Juliet' arc is almost done, just two more parts… and, despite very little mention of it, I somehow find this chapter the most 'Romeo and Juliet'-ish… Anyway, I wrote the draft for this chapter months ago, back when I first started the fic, just couldn't find the appropriate time to put such scenes into it, didn't wanna put it in Hamlet because it was too soon so… Anyway, here's to a new chapter, hope it was good… Typos will be fixed on another day…)


	15. Uncomfortable Silences

"_Ah me! how sweet is love itself possess'd,_

_When but love's shadows are so rich in joy!"_

_**-Romeo; ('Romeo and Juliet'; act V, scene I)**_

**When the Black Order Acknowledges Theater**

_Disclaimer: I don not own D.Gray-man_

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN: Romeo and Juliet (part five) **_(Uncomfortable silences)_

_Akagi wonders why he hasn't moved for a while. He's been on the phone for a while; he could swear that he didn't look that dumb in the beginning. His was gazing at the wall as if he could see something in the distance. Akagi was pretty sure that was a sign of the utter abolition of sanity, he thinks, that because of the things which had happened lately anyway, it wouldn't be such a farfetched theory. It__ has__ gotten to a point where Timcampy seems to be trying to snap him out of it with his wings. Akagi narrows his eyes and sighs, he decides to go up to his uncles hospital room and leave this weird site alone. He left Allen there, supposedly 'talking' to Komui on the phone._

"…_.and so the long story cut short, basically the curse gives him some extraordinary fighting abilities when it counts and when he wants to, and it also gives him so quick healing rates, but all that in exchange for part of his life. I remember warning him about how he should watch how much of his life was left, but he continues to be reckless…" realizing he's the only one talking Komui pauses "Allen? Are you still there?"_

"_Ah… Yeah… Y-Yes… I… but… that's… how?" Allen scratches his head "So….huh…" he was at a complete loss of words, not that anyone can say anything after learning something like __that_

"_I suppose it won't take long for him to heal though… I expect to see you both here soon"_

"_Did Lenalee say we'll have the meeting then?"_

"_The day after you return"_

"_Right…I…I'll see you then…" and Allen hangs up_

……………………………

"You were thinking of the time when your supervisor called, am I right?" the sound of Akagi's voice snapped Allen out of his temporary trance-like state, they had gone for lunch and were currently on their way back to the hospital

"Am I right?" Akagi repeats

"What makes you think that?" the reply comes with a nervous laugh

"Well the hospital is two building is two buildings away now, we already passed it a few minutes ago" the boy couldn't have say it more bluntly

"Uh…huh…" still a bit dazed, Allen paused for a moment before turning around and walking in the right direction towards the hospital

Walking was a silent activity, neither of them talked. Lunch was the same. It was probably mostly because Allen was dazed all this time. Akagi remembers what he'd learned recently. He also remembers asking his uncle why he saved Allen. He remembers his uncle replied he didn't know. Akagi remembers he thought that wasn't a very convincing answer. It was more like he didn't want to know. Akagi will make it a point to ask that question again. Allen had thanked him for snapping him out of it, Akagi just nodded; he didn't really feel like smiling today. He never did anything he didn't feel like. He noted Allen's nervous gestures once they got into the hospital, the grip on his hand became tighter, and he had to remind the exorcist that they had food in the paper bag so he wouldn't hold it tightly and squish it till it's inedible. Akagi kept an aloof demeanor, but he knew the one with him was _very _uneasy. He had some idea about why that was but it was better to act more like a child in these instances.

"Why do you look so uneasy?" he asks, and Allen flinches

"Me? Uneasy?" Allen laughs "Of course not!" he didn't say that as firmly as he would have liked

"is it because you had a fight with uncle?"

"Akagi… Even if we did have a fight, why would I be uneasy because of that? If we had a fight, I'd be in an annoyed mood, not uneasy."

"You like him"

"Well I do like him; I like mankind in general …"

"No I mean you _like_ him…"

"Wha-!" Allen doesn't know what surprises him more the fact that Akagi knows, or the fact that Akagi knows and he's six "I do not like him that way, we are both men Akagi, men aren't supposed to-"

"What does it matter?"

Allen frowns "It's not nice to interrupt"

"Yes, but you have to know that I'm six, not stupid, there's a difference" Akagi looks slightly smug "I'm very mature for my age…" he looks thoughtful "…in some respects…"

"Yes you are mature for your age…" but Allen thinks that it would be better if at this moment, even if it was just this moment, that what he said was not true. Of course, unfortunately for Allen, it is true. "Don't say those things in front of your uncle." Allen grasps the door knob of Kanda's room, he waits for Akagi to nod, when he does, he opens the door.

"We're coming, expect us in a couple of days…" Kanda says, and he hangs up the phone with a bang, the finder hands him his exorcist's cloak

"You're awake…" Allen looks at him up and down "… and fully recovered…"

Kanda shrugs "Let's go."

"No" Allen says flatly "Eat first" he's thrown a glare for that

"It's not necessary" the reply to that is a frown

Akagi decides to talk "It's tempura soba" he didn't sound at all intruding strangely enough

"What?" Kanda does not seem to believe this; they were in Europe after all

"The cook in this restaurant we went to knew cuisines from all over the world. She traveled a lot in the past…" the boy manages to make his uncle look more trusting

Allen presents Kanda with the paper bag "We asked if we could have it wrapped, and here it is, it's still warm, eat it now. There are chopsticks too."

"I'll get a bowl and plate!" Akagi announces, and then he runs off

"Accompany him." Kanda tells the finder, who does just that

The room is left with but two, Kanda silently continue putting on the rest of his clothes, boots, belt…. And Allen stares at him. He would open his mouth and try to say something, but he would never go through with it. He just continues to stare.

"What?" to Allen's relief, the swordsman's tone was not an annoyed one

"I want to tell you something" he confesses

Kanda gave him a look, Allen was pretty sure it meant 'spit it out'.

"I can't act like I hate you. I mean I do hate you, but… there's something else, I can't really say it, because I really don't believe it entirely myself yet, but-"

"Stop" Kanda hold up a hand "Just stop it, I don't want to hear anything about this, and I don't want to even try talking about it. Talking makes things complicated."

"Well it's already complicated"

"Which is exactly why we shouldn't talk about it"

"Talking would make things clearer"

"You'd think"

"Ugh! Fine!" Allen rolls his eyes and raises his hands in the air briefly, bringing them back down immediately and folding them in front of his chest as he turns away from Kanda. "Fine! Fine! Let's not talk about it… Just wanted you to know that I won't be acting all spiteful of you…" Allen glances towards him "…I will however, continue to quarrel with you and insult you on a regular, even frequent, basis…"

Kanda shrugs "…do what you like…"

Allen thinks Kanda overuses that line.

…………………………….

"How is it?" Akagi asks, as he observes his uncle eat

"Fine" Kanda says, really just wanting to finish his food and leave, any form of conversation would make this take longer

"It better be, it was hard to convince that woman to cook that special order…" Allen blushes at the thought of her "Although she was gorgeous…"

Akagi and Kanda stare at him, and Allen sighs as he reminisces, the boy looks somewhat confused, his uncle looks disgusted.

"Who are you, Lavi?" the swordsman's tone was annoyed

"What!?" Allen looks at him dumbfounded, and slightly appalled for some reason

"I'm just saying that you shouldn't start hitting on every pretty lady just because she's a…. Strike, or whatever… Well at least not on a mission, couldn't care less if you do it any other time…"

"I wouldn't!" Allen scowls at him "Who so you think I am? Lavi!?"

The two stare at each other, and both think that Lavi is sneezing his ass off right about now. Kanda sighs and looks at Allen's eyes squarely.

"Do what you like" he says, and he gets back to his soba

"I _will_ do what I want, that I can say for sure…" Allen crosses his arms once again and sticks his tongue out

"Oh what are you five? Even Akagi doesn't do that…" the reply he gets is the same thing he insulted

Kanda rolls his eyes "Do what you like"

Allen decides that yes, he does in fact use that line too much. "Why do you say that? Is it like, the line you say when you have nothing to say? The line you say for the lack of anything better to say?"

"What line?"

"The 'do what you want' line, you use it all the time!" Allen shouts

"I find that many situations call for that line" with a slurp, the last of the soba is finished and he sets down his chopsticks "It's appropriate for all occasions"

Allen thinks everything Kanda just said was out of character. He also thinks he's just making excuses. It could be though that he'd just hate to loose to the swordsman.

Kanda stand up "Let's go"

……………………………

Once again the sounds of the railways echo in their ears. Akagi does not look as enthusiastic as before, Kanda notes, and he also notes that the boy is staring at him. He was ignoring it because Allen was ignoring it. Now that Allen was taking a leak though, and he and the boy were alone, he just couldn't talk it anymore.

"What?" he snaps

"Why did you save him? I think your just denying the actual reason" Akagi says

"There's nothing to deny because there is no reason"

"I don't think so"

"Well you're just a six year old…"

"You know better than that…"

Kanda rolls his eyes

"Tell me uncle, what went on in your mind when you saw Allen there? Before you jumped in to save him?"

Kanda stares at him in disbelief.

"Please just answer, before he gets back."

"Fine…" Kanda sighs "I thought… I thought that he was stupid and that he'd let his martyr complex get the best of him yet _again_… I didn't really think much after that. That martyr complex of his, it's a disease I tell you…"

"Hmmh…." Akagi is satisfied, and he knows something that even his uncle doesn't know, the most probable reason for those kinds of thoughts, not that the boy would say anything; he most certainly did not have a death wish. Besides, it would be amusing to see what will happen next.

Allen walks into the compartment again "Oh, you two were talking!" he seems somehow delighted by the fact, and he sits down "What about?"

"Akagi wants to pee." Kanda says flatly

"Oh, you should have told me so I could have taken you with me then Akagi…"

" I don't need to go, that's just an excuse cause uncle doesn't want you to know what we're talking about, don't bother, he would kill me if I told you, you know how he is." Akagi gets a glare form his uncle, Allen laughs

"Ok, ok, I know how he is…. It's fine"

Allen has also taken notice of how Akagi seems less enthusiastic these days. He knows it probably has something to do with their experiences these past two weeks, and Allen feels bad. He feels bad for the boy, and he feels absolutely guilty. He may have been too dramatic of what has happened, that scene might have permanently scarred the boy. Akagi was even more mature about things than he was lately. Allen thinks he should be ashamed of himself.

"It's not your fault" it takes Allen a moment to realize that the boy is talking to him

"What?" he says

"I know what you're thinking, and it's not your fault." Akagi doesn't even look at him

Kanda's eyes are on them but he says nothing. Allen doesn't reply to Akagi's statement. He is even more ashamed of himself now. He shifts uncomfortably, wondering how the child could have known what he was thinking. Was he that easy to read? The silence in the compartment was an uncomfortable one, and it was also a long one, but finally, after some time, Kanda breaks it by talking.

"I told you to stop this martyr complex of yours… Stop blaming yourself … geez… and don't worry about how the kid knew, he's got gifts, why do you think he can speak English so well at such a young age…"

"Ok" Allen's tone was 'draw-the-line' like, if that makes sense "First of all, blaming myself is not exactly what you can call a martyr complex, a martyr complex is something else-" Allen looks at Akagi "-entirely…" he sighs "…lets talk outside…"

"Tsch, as if he won't hear you from there…" Kanda replied with a snort

"Out,_ now_." Allen scowled at him and he got up and exited the compartment

Kanda rolled his eyes but he followed, the finder stepped into the compartment to take care of Akagi.

Akagi smiles at the finder "Just like husband and wife aren't they?"

The finder looks at him, absolutely bewildered.

Akagi pets Timcampy "Be sure to record the whole conversation, ok Tim?"

You could swear Timcampy nodded., but that just isn't possible.

…………………………..

"Listen here Kanda Yuu, I do _**not**_ have a martyr complex, I do not save people for any noble reasons, I fact if anything, my reasons are selfish. Since, if you think about it, I'm doing this because I don't want to feel bad for not trying to help, and yes, in that way I'm selfish. I mean, don't you see that doing those things, asking for nothing in return, it's all to make me look and feel good, it's an ego thing and I-"

"Right, I see, I see bean sprout, _**very **_different form being noble…" Kanda rolls his eyes and Allen scowls at him more intensely

"_**Yes **_it is! I can be very selfish you know! I always want to feel good about myself. I've done things in the past which made me feel otherwise, and because I want what's best for _**me**_, and I want to make _**myself **_feel good, I try to atone for these things, and in that way I am selfish, don't you see that? I do_** not**_ have a martyr-"

"You just listed most of the reasons of why I hate you…" Kanda narrows his eyes

"What!?" Allen snaps

"Ok, you know what, I'm not listening to this" Kanda goes for the compartment door, but Allen stops him. Kanda sighs and folds his arms, looking at Allen with a look that says 'go on, and get this shit over with'

"I'm not done yet" Allen says, despite the look he'd been given

Kanda rolls his eyes "Well big surprise…"

Allen glares at him "Tell me, what is this about Akagi being gifted? I haven't noticed anything…"

Kanda lets out an exasperated sigh " _**You**_ hung out with him didn't you?"

Allen knows Kanda thinks the fact was so obvious; he takes a moment to think about it before he starts saying something else again.

……………………………

_Akagi listens closely as Allen reads for him 'Romeo and Juliet'. The boy can speak English well, but he hasn't gone about learning how to read and write in the language. He's become interested in the play. His reasons had been for one, it was the first western play he'd heard of, and two, his uncle actually read it despite it being deemed a love story by Allen. Akagi could tell that Allen was editing the story a tad bit, making it more 'fit for children' or something else like that. Akagi really wishes he didn't do that, he __was__ everything a normal six year old should be, but he was not naïve, innocent, nor immature like most boys his age. Quite the contrary even…_

"…_and so uh… what happened to Tybalt was…uhm… after Mercutio… err… and… Romeo… well he…." There was another reason why Akagi didn't like Allen editing the lines, it was the fact that he wasn't very good at it_

"_You don't need to edit it" akagi finally says_

_Allen looks obviously startled by this "What?"_

"_I'd understand, I really don't care, you don't have to make it more 'child friendly' or anything…" says Akagi_

"_Well I know that… It's just… well… __**I**__ fell more comfortable this way…" Allen admits, he closes the copy of 'Romeo and Juliet' "So, let's just continue this tomorrow… uhm…" Allen takes a deep breath "What do you think of the play so far?"_

_Akagi shrugs "It's ok…"_

"_It's ok? That's it Akagi?" Allen thinks children should be more animated about these things_

_Akagi looks thoughtful for a moment "Well, Romeo and Juliet's love is too unrealistic… It's too… Uhm… What's the word…. Pure… Yeah… It's too pure, too absolute, there couldn't be anything like that in real life…"_

"_Akagi, I'm no expert at child rearing but I don't think children your age should be saying those kind of things, it's too pessimistic."_

"_My mother's dying and my father's dead, and they didn't exactly have an ideal love at all"_

"_I'm sure your parents love was also pur-"_

"_Dather married mother because she got pregnant and demanded he did, else she'd start a scandal. Mother never said it but I know, it's what our neighbors say… I can tell what's true and what's not… My mother used to sell your body…"_

"_Akagi! How could you say that! About your mother… about your… I…"_

"_But it's true, that's why uncle didn't know father had a family, he didn't tell most people, he had many other women… I'm fine with it all anyway don't worry…"_

"_Akagi…" Allen sighs_

_For a moment there is silence._

"_If their love hadn't been so absolute it wouldn't have been such a tragic story…" Akagi suddenly says, and he's petting Timcampy for some reason, Allen looks at him, surprised "…But that's what you get for submitting yourself to someone wholly… Poor things…"_

_Allen wonders if this boy is really just six years old like they say. _

……………………..

"….Well just leave me alone ok, live up to your word will you…. Let me do what I like… And then we could all just be happy, because if we continue to do these kind of thigns, think of what effect it'll have on Akagi… I feel really guilty… Think of the…"

"Shut up…"

"…He may not say it but he's affected… Did you know he overheard us talking the other day? Our fight abaout the whole sacrifice thing… I was really surprised when he brought it up… He really is so mature it's just amazing, we give him to little credit for it, I mean…"

"Shut up…"

"…we should really stop fighting… let's just leave each other be, but just be warned that I won't act like I hate you… You could act like you hate me but, let's just be professional about this, ok" he takes a deep breath "..and by professional I mean…."

"Shut…up…"

"…oh wait… on that's wrong, ahaha!, what I meant to say was…"

Kanda groans, he has got to shut the other up. Allen doesn't know when, but suddenly he realizes that he's being kissed, he doesn't know how long it's going to last. The moment he realized what was happening his mind went blank, the kiss was perfect. Not at all rough, it was gentle really. Allen wonders how many times Kanda has done this before. He wonders why he wondered when he thought his mind had gone blank, he decides he didn't care. Then after who knows how long… they parted…

"_**Finally**_… Now stay like that, _**shut up**_." Kanda says flatly, completely nonchalant "I do _**not**_ want to talk about this, so just stop talking, ok just… just stop talking."

"W-Why did you?" Allen's face is flushed; his face shocked and his whole body did not believe what just happened

"You wouldn't shut up" Kanda still looks like he doesn't care at all

"But of all things…"

"No time to think of any alternatives, besides, if I had hit you, you would have gone on even longer…"

"So you had two choices in you mind… one being to hit me, the other being to kiss me…" Allen looks at him, and Kanda nods indifferently "…are you that much of an idiot?"

Kanda rolls his eyes "There you go again dammit, _**just shut up**_!"

"Fine" Allen says firmly "Fine"

They both linger in the hallway, an uncomfortable silence enveloping them both.

"Uhm…" Allen doesn't look at him when he says this "… you're not a virgin anymore are you…"

Kanda just rolls his eyes again

…………………………….

(a/n: This is the longest chapter yet! xD and did something good come out of all the previous chapters? I don't know, you tell me if it's good enough… Let me explain why I'm updating so soon. I wasn't allowed to use the computer yesterday as a punishment, and so I ended up writing six pages back-to-back of this chapter, ahahaha! And so here it is chapter fifteen… I really need to finish the 'Romeo and Juliet' arc next week… School starts next Wednesday for me and that might mean I'll only get to update once a month… D: or less… so yeah… I slept so late while writing this; I just ended up thinking of so many things… ahahaha… by the way, has anyone read the recent chapters of DGM? Just cut Kanda's hair and we have Akagi, hahaha! Lol…)


	16. Everything in Order

"_I dreamt my lady came and found me dead—_

_Strange dream, that gives a dead man leave _

_to think!— _

_And breathed such life with kisses in my lips, _

_That I revived, and was an emperor."_

_**-Romeo; ('Romeo and Juliet'; act V; scene I)**_

**When the Black Order Acknowledges Theater**

_Disclaimer: I don't own D. Gray-man_

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN: Romeo and Juliet (part six) **_(Everything in order)_

_All things happen in time. Akagi sees that as one of the very few wholly acceptable truths. That is probably his main reason for keeping quiet about certain things. Being blunt is not always good, some things are made worse by being blunt. That is why acting innocent was his tactic. Akagi plans on making things easier for other people, without letting them find out that he is. Akagi thinks he might forget this when he's grown anyway. He's just six; people forget what they do as children. Given though, that Akagi lives to see adulthood, he isn't entirely confident about living long. Death like all things comes when it's time. But that's something you shouldn't really be thinking about…._

_When Akagi first sees the order his eyes widen, the outside he found amazing. There on top of a tall dark landform, a huge strangely shaped dark building nestled. Allen told him that they were moving headquarters, but there had been a few things holding them up. He noted how his uncle looked annoyed at the subject; he expects things his uncle deemed 'annoying' were the few things holding them up. Those things didn't seem to make Allen too happy either. Both of them say it will probably take a while to move. _

_The whole moving business explains while the inside of the Order was such a mess. Akagi is used to such messes, his mother was so sick that she could not do house work, Akagi had no time for it himself. The boy notes how interesting the people are in the order. They are greeted by people who are obviously both his uncle and Allen's close friends (ones again, his uncle would never admit to). There was a red head about his uncle's age, he had an eye patch, Akagi found it quite cool, he introduced himself as Lavi. Akagi thought it was strange he had no last name, nonetheless, he felt like he would get along with this person. There was another person, a girl, she was pretty. Akagi blushed when he first saw her. Allen laughed and asked him if he was dazzled. The boy immediately shook his head, but everyone just laughed (except his uncle, but when does he laugh anyway?). She had short hair, somehow by the way it _

_was cut Akagi could tell it had happened in battle. She looked like a strong woman, she probably was. Her name was Lenalee Lee, and from that, Akagi knew she was Chinese, he thinks her name has an amusing ring to it._

_It seemed to him everyone in the Order had pretty sounding names anyway. Allen had a nice name, it fit with his personality well. His uncle had a nice name too, a short name only seemed fitting for a person who want to be mundane (as much as he fails at that). Lavi took Akagi's things to Allen's room, because his uncle refused to sleep with the boy, everyone understood anyway, his uncle was like that. Allen took him to the cafeteria for a bit. There he met the strange man named Jerry; he seemed to be delighted to see Akagi. The boy wondered about the man, his name did not entirely fit him that was probably because it wasn't his actual real name. No one told him it wasn't his name, but Akagi just thought that, if he was wrong it didn't really matter. It was none of his business. His business was to eat. _

_There were finders in the cafeteria, they all smiled at him. Akagi kept a blank expression. Everyone thought it was cute for some reason. The boy begins to understand why his uncle didn't go with them. These were the kinds of social situations where he was worst at (worst, because he was usually bad at any social situation anyway). They all tell Allen that he looks exactly like his uncle, only with shorter hair of course. Allen always laughed but he never disagreed. He always said that in personality they were alike too; Akagi was just kinder about things. Allen also says that the boy it very mature for his age, not one to be underestimated at all. Akagi swears he heard that he was described as a boy with amazing gifts. Akagi wonders if it really is that rare to have the gift of common sense._

_Akagi is amazed at how much Allen eats. Back in Romania, there were obviously things bothering him, which is probably why he ate less. Now though, he was eating mountains, even Jerry said he was eating more than usual. The finder said it was also unusual for them. Akagi knows it's probably because something good happened. That maybe why he's not supposed to tell anyone, Akagi thinks. Because it's a good story, one that's too good for anyone else's ears, though he might just be lying to himself, it may be because his uncle was involved. Good stories that involved his uncle were lethal stories, tell those stories to others and you die. Akagi suddenly realizes what his uncle was doing._

_Maybe letting Timcampy record the whole thing was a mistake. Akagi didn't expect that something that good would happen, still, poor thing. His uncle was probably doing everything in his (and not to mention Mugen's) power to get Tim to erase the conversation. It was not like that was possible anyway, Akagi knows, he had asked Allen about that. Allen tells him not to worry, only their supervisor would see it anyway, he'll keep quiet long enough, eventually he'd forget about it. Akagi hopes for the good of the world, that would be true, let all be spared from his uncles wrath (spare the world form any more of his wrath at least)._

_Allen asks the boy if he wants to rest. Though Akagi isn't exhausted really, he finds himself nodding, because he could tell the other person was. A bed had been prepared on the floor in Allen's room. Akagi said he'd sleep on the floor; he was used to it anyway. Allen let him, though reluctantly at first. As soon as his head lay on the pillow Allen fell asleep. Akagi couldn't though; he carefully rummaged through Allen's stuff instead. Lenalee peeked in the room once; as soon as she saw Allen sleeping she frowned. _

_She probably wanted to ask what happened during the mission, she could probably tell it was something good. Akagi shushed her when she looked at him; she smiled and nodded then closed the door. The boy heard her talking to someone outside, he figures it was Lavi. _

_Akagi continued to rummage Allen's things, it was probably a bad thing to do, but he knew he wouldn't mind anyway. There was not much to see really, the room was so empty. There were many empty drawers, very few clothes to go around. He was soon down to the last drawer. Akagi's eyes widen once he's set his eyes on it. It was a photo. He found it in that last drawer. It was not exactly the most interesting object, but what was interesting was that Allen seemed to treasure it. It was not that dirty, obviously it had been touched a few weeks ago, probably around the time Allen had left for Bilbao._

_There were many people on the photo; there were a few who stood out though. Allen had long hair in this photo, and for some weird reason, Lavi was a child, Akagi saw a boy whom he though was himself at first, later realizing much to his surprise that it was his uncle. Once he realized that though, he didn't see the resemblance to himself at all anymore. It was probably a psychological thing. Lenalee was there in the background, and people who could only be scientists were as well. They were all carrying boxes; it was probably one of the days where they were trying to move. Akagi will ask about the picture later, his uncle being a child in the picture is probably the reason why he found the story of moving to another headquarters so annoying. Akagi places the photo back where it was and returns back to his bed. He remembers something about a club meeting, he remembers that it would be tomorrow, he remembers he'd been excited about it; he eventually drifts to sleep…_

…………………………

"Let's not waste time on the obvious things… Who has some interesting observations about the play?" Lenalee says with a big smile

Akagi doesn't know why, but they were having the meeting in Allen's room. A woman named Miranda sits nervously at one side of Akagi's bed, and Lavi is beside her, browsing his copy of the play for some reason, maybe he was looking for something. A man who Akgi first thought to be a Vampire sat there beside Lavi, he looked like he was in thought. There was only once chair in the room, there sat the supervisor, Lenalee's brother, he guy they said was named Komui. Akagi is a bit excited about how interesting the members are. His uncle is sitting to his left, Lenalee is beside him. Allen is sitting towards Akagi's right, and he looks like he is about to speak.

"Well… I noticed there is an obsession with death as the solution to the problems…" Allen said

"Oh yes…" Lenalee said "I hated that… Absolutely dreadful…"

"Well that's how it was…They were too scared to live without each other. It was their timid expression of love…" Lavi said, putting down his copy "…Yet here we all are thinking of how perfect their love is…"

"That's why it's so unrealistic…" Komui says "…Their love I mean, well, if not unrealistic, very rare…"

"I think their obsession with death was the most realistic thing about their love though…" Allen says

"I…I agree, there are more people who want to take the easy way out of bad situations… If anyone would be in their shoes, I think more people would have chosen death as well…" Miranda said

Crowly rubs his chin thoughtfully before saying "Well yes… yes… I see… I agree… Life is for the brave in such situations…"

For some reason, everyone is nodding, and Akagi catches his uncle yawn. He is not surprised of what happens next though; they ignore him, and continue.

"What of the contradiction of Paris' love for Juliet to Romeo's love for her?" Lenalee says

"That is another sad thing, which is also surprisingly realistic" says Komui

Lavi laughs "You're either the guy who loves your girl well or the guy who loves your girl selfishly… IN other words, I guess its love or lust right?"

"Yes, it was all a question of who loved Juliet more of himself." Said Crowly "Obviously Paris loved Juliet as a commodity somewhat, and even if he did grieve for her…"

"Yes… He grieved for the loss of Juliet's physical beauty more than Juliet herself…" Miranda says softly

Lenalee fidgets in her seat "I remembered something!" she says "What of the strange little battle between the idealized love and the…" she coughs uncomfortably "…sexual love…"

Komui gasps and clings onto his sister "Lenalee!! Who put such ideas into your mind!!" he glares at Lavi "It was you wasn't it?"

"No!! No!!" Lavi's denial is as exaggerated as Komui's reaction to Lenalee's statement

"Don't worry…" Allen whispers to Akagi "… This is something that's natural around here… He has a bit of a sister thing…"

Akagi nods in understanding. He thinks that the noise being made at the moment was probably annoying his uncle, he glances towards the direction of the said person, and he finds that he does indeed look annoyed, but he doesn't look like he's about to burst. The room becomes silent because of what was said next.

"What of them? Both are annoying…" everyone is staring at Kanda, to Akagi's surprise, Lenalee and Lavi's faces light up

"…And why is that Yuu?" Akagi notes how Lavi got just a mere scowl for calling his uncle by first name; these are the people his uncle is close to.

"…because sexual love is one of the most pointless things in this entire world since the beginning to time and the birth of man and because the so called idealized love is one pathetic abstract virtue that cannot exist these days without the pointless thing called sexual love…" Kanda is still scowling at Lavi when he says this, but his voice is calmer than usual

"Well put, I can see why you find them annoying…" when Lenalee says this, Akagi finds himself surprised, it seems people know him to well to be bothered by such sentiments, only Allen fights with him in these occasions, which is why he is not surprised at what Allen says next

"It's not surprising you know those two things well Kanda, after all you experience them both it seems…" Allen's look is a sly one, but it seems Akagi is not alone when he thinks that there is something hidden beneath that expression, Akagi was not alone in dismissing that either

"Wouldn't my finding it annoying be reasonable then? Both of those things were a big waste of my time, but I guess it's not surprising that you want those things bean sprout, you are stupid after all. You don't listen to the warnings of anyone…" the last words were said through gritted teeth

Akagi notes how Lenalee looks even more desperate to talk to Allen; Lavi looks just about the same. Everyone else seems to be backing down. It is becoming obvious who are the braver, and who value their lives more.

"Well if that's what stupid means to you then I'm ok with that, I love the things which annoy you, and they're good things, most of them…" Allen's tone is a dismissing one, and a few look disappointed as the subject is left behind, others look relieved, Akagi included

"Oh yes… " Komui says "Allen, there was something strange about Timcampy, there's something he recorded which he wouldn't show me, no matter what I did he wouldn't show it, it was a video of something in the train… Do you know what it was?"

Everyone is surprised that Allen face becomes flushed. "It was nothing!" he says "What did you do with the file?" Allen says tensely

"I deleted it; I didn't think it would be that important, it was happened on the train so…"

"It wasn't anything good; it was a real bore…" Allen waves his hands around

Kanda snorts "You didn't seem to think it was such a boring thing at the time…"

Everyone turns to Kanda surprised.

"Well you did…" Allen retorts shakily, Kanda snorts in the 'well-yeah' manner

Allen gets a look from both Lavi and Lenalee, one that said 'I-expect-you-will-tell-me-about-it-later'. Allen replied to those looks with a nervous look. Akagi sees that his uncle is staring at the floor; he thinks he might still be thinking of that other interesting event. Akagi likes that story; it's nicer that the story 

Timcampy wouldn't tell Komui. It was a story Akagi will not tell anyone either, it was also too good. Wasn't his story to tell anyway…

…………………………….

_They were in the hallway, they were walking back from the cafeteria, and Allen was humming happily as he led Akagi back to what was now their room. Akagi could immediately tell who it was standing in front of their door. It was his uncle._

"_You're early" Allen says casually_

_Kanda shrugs "I want to get this damn thing over with…" he looks away "…and I'm not early, I'm on time… Everyone else is late…" _

"_Is that so?" Allen checks his watch "Oh… You're right…" He smiles_

_Akagi wonders if he's imagining things when he thinks that things are sunnier between the two, it's probably because of their conversation on the train, interesting event that._

"_Shall we go in?" _

"_No, wait for everyone else." _

"_Why?" Allen looked genuinely confused, but then he started looking cheeky "Oh… I see, you're afraid you might do that again. You actually liked it didn't you?"_

"_Of course not, why would I like doing something like that to a bean like you? I might get your martyr complex, and your stupidity, which by the way are both diseases…"_

"_Oh I think you already have both, you never needed my help to get any of those…"_

"_Don't tell me__ you__ liked it…"_

"_Of course not, but I will remember it for the rest of my life…" _

_Kanda raised an eyebrow "Then you liked it"_

"_No, it was my first." _

"_No it wasn't, I heard that a Noah kissed you." _

"_No, I mean, it's my first kiss with someone who counts"_

"_Why do I count?"_

"…_because I knew you well before that, usually kisses change things"_

"_Well it won't change things for us…" _

"_Even so, you're the first guy I kissed, or rather… the first guy who kissed me… and… Well I'll never let any guy kiss me again, remember this!" for some reason, Allen is pointing an index finger at Kanda accusingly _

_Kanda smirks "…You're worried about what to tell future girlfriends about your first kiss aren't you?" He snorts "You've got two choices, tell her it was from a guy, or tell her it was from an enemy… Either way you look bad…"_

"_Well, at least I didn't initiate it either of those kisses, I could tell her you were a homo pervert psycho, or something as accurate as that…"_

"_I prefer girls to guys any day, not that I like wasting my time with things like that… Men just need deliverance sometimes…" _

"_Ha! You aren't a virgin!" Allen exclaims, but Kanda gestures to Akagi and Allen clasps his mouth shut_

"_Like I said…" Kanda says through gritted teeth "…deliverance, and besides, I'm not a kid, why is a thing like that surprising? Men are like that, face reality… I'm sure you'll be like that one of these days, you're not much of a kid anymore either, you're still a bean sprout though…"_

"_Why am I not surprised, things like that mean nothing to you really…" Allen keeps an aloof face, but Akagi senses his disappointment "…Well then…"_

_Despite himself, Akagi gasps when Allen hugs Kanda._

"_What the hell are you doing?" Kanda looks at Akagi "…and in front of the kid too…"_

_Allen breaks the embrace before Kanda can even attempt to hurt him "Remember that… Just like how I'll always remember that you'll be the only guy ever who kissed me, I'll be the only one who hugs you without any lust or greed…"_

_Akagi sees his uncle's fists clench. "What do you know…" Kanda says "…you're just a bean sprout…"_

_Allen smiles "That may be… But you're just as idiotic as I am…"_

"_Whatever…" _

_After that, Akagi hears Lenalee and Lavi's voice; three other voices are coming from the same direction. They're here…_

…………………………….

So it wasn't exactly a good story because something pretty happened. It was a good story because Akagi realized Allen was one of the very few people who could get his uncle to think about things.

"All things taken into account though I just love this play…" Lenalee says

Lavi raises his hand "Yep! Me too…" Lavi grins "Gotta love Mercutio and the Nurse…"

"Oh Lavi, you're horrible!" Lenalee says with a laugh

"Lenalee, we shouldn't read things with those kinds of themes anymore…" Komui says, clinging onto Lenalee again "…It dirties you pure and perfect mind…"

"Brother…" she's looking annoyed "…I'm not a child anymore… far from it…"

Akagi suddenly remembers something Lenalee said before; it made him want to talk to her. The previous night, he heard her tell Lavi outside their bedroom door… Last night when he was trying to sleep but couldn't… While he was looking for the photo… The conversation he found just as interesting as the photo… An interest that wasn't really nurtured till now… Akagi wonders why he didn't find such a conversation so interesting…

………………………

"_I wonder why he looks happy; I really thought they were going to fight… Has Kanda finally done something good? I hope so… We've been waiting for this for so long…" said Lenalee_

"_Well, it must have been something good either way, any development is fine, but I think if anyone will be making a first move it would be Allen. Yuu has the tendency of being in denial and detesting feelings like that." Lavi replies _

"_I remember when we first noticed hints of such a thing…" Lenalee says with a laugh_

"_Allen was so cute when he got jealous, though he wasn't aware of it… He never got bothered by my getting clingy with Yuu before, but ever since we got back here to the order from the battle in the Ark… He always butted in by insulting Kanda when I got clingy…" Lavi laughs_

"_That was the more subtle hint… He's always looking at Kanda; he's been trying so hard to get along with him… I didn't really think of it as love at first… But as time passed… I didn't think it could be anything else; it's too much an effort for one person… I was surprised you thought the same" Lenalee laughs as well "…as for Kanda… Have you ever seen him take so many insults and hold back?" she laughs again "I haven't… he holds back a lot more lately…"_

"_Ah well… That's why it's so interesting to see what happens next…" Lavi says "What play are we doing next?"_

"_Macbeth."_

"_Another tragedy?" The voices are getting weaker; they're walking away now "Why?"_

"_They seem to connect better with tragedies…" Lenalee says "… the comedies weren't much help at all were they? Sure they fought in Hamlet but-"_

"_I get it…" Lavi says "I get it…"_

……………………………

Akagi thinks he gets it too… and he hopes Allen will read Macbeth to him…

………………………..

(a/n: Oh no… Maybe I made them kiss too fast… I don't know what to do now, ahahaha! And yet another chapter that's very Akagi-centric… I'm glad a lot of people like him… Truth to be told, he's one of the characters I didn't plan on putting into the story, the only OC I'd thought of beforehand was Sarah, ahaha… OH and I re-read the previous chapter, so many embarrassing typos D: … Ok never mind… I hope this chapter was good… Updates from now on are likely to be on Fridays or Saturdays…. Because I have school now… I'm sorry for the boring chapter D: I hope it wasn't so bad though… Next is Macbeth… Typos for this chapter will be fixed another day, and if you noticed, the titles changed, I used the Italicized other titles I put in every chapter… I know ch 11 didn't have one… But I gave it one, and the corrected versions of every chapter will come out once I find the time to correct them, or once I find someone to correct them… ahahaha…)'

EDIT: I made the worst mistake with this chapter ever (context wise), anyway it's been edited


	17. The Foreshadowing

_**First murderer**__ "Stand To't"_

_**Banquo **__"It will be rain tonight"_

_**First Murderer**__ "Let it come down"_

_**-Macbeth; act III; scene III**_

**When the Black Order Acknowledges Theater**

_Disclaimer: I don't own D.Gray-man_

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: Macbeth (part one) **_(The Foreshadowing)_

_That night Allen had a dream. It began with darkness, and then there was the sound of footsteps. Soon, he realizes that he's running, the darkness slowly begins to become a background. He realized that it's the Black Order that he's in. Why he is running he does not know. He thinks that maybe he's running away from something, but he does not feel scared. There was a different emotion, there was desperation. He realizes that he's running __towards __something. A few familiar turns are taken, and he wonders why is going there of all places._

_His hearts is beating fast, and for some reason the words 'it can't be' are muttered repeatedly by him. He wonders why he's saying such things; he wonders why there was nobody there in the halls. He wonders why there is only silence besides his mutterings, his breathing, his footsteps… Then there is another panging feeling, he cannot place where it is coming from. It was like his whole body was in pain. He is clutching onto his stomach, there was bandages. He was injured maybe, and his wound was bleeding again. It was probably because he was running so hurriedly. He wonders why he seems so desperate to get there. Though he also knew that at that moment, whatever it was driving him to do such things, was more important that some wound or injury._

_What was there he wonders? What lies in the all too familiar place he was headed to? Why was it that he was so intent on getting there? Had something horrible conspired? Is that why he felt so completely useless and desperate? If something had gone terribly wrong that would explain all the strange emotions he felt. What in the world could possibly make Allen Walker become like this? What could possily be so important that-_

_Suddenly the answer is all too simple._

_Lavi was there, Lenalee in his arms, he was biting his lip, a pained expression on his face, and she was sobbing, loudly, vehemently. Komui was there, strangely not being overprotective of his sister, just looking at a few documents, being uncharacteristically quiet. Miranda was there, muttering to herself of _

_things she said she could have done, but she didn't, she was crying as well, and Marie was there, trying to console her, though he himself was crying as well. General Tiedoll was there, a handkerchief at one hand; the other hand covered his eyes. Crowly was there, he looked lost, he looked sad, he looked absolutely hopeless. _

_And then there was General Cross "You're too late" he tells Allen, giving him a look that should be a glare_

"_No" he was shaking his head "Don't tell me! I'm not- Where is he!?" he shouted_

"_It's too late…" Lavi murmurs, and Lenalee sobs even louder, he hugs her more tightly "…it's… too late…"_

"_No!" Allen shouts "Where is he Lavi!? Where-"_

"_There" Lavi points at one bed, at the end of the infirmary, a white curtain was around it. Allen rushed to that bed, and quickly tore of the curtain, not caring about it at all. _

_He didn't at all like what he saw._

_Akagi was there, he was holding his hand "He's gone…" the boys says, tears falling from his eyes continuously, Allen shakes his head_

"_No…" Allen realizes that he's crying, he's crying for the lifeless being that lay there before him… he found himself kneeling by the bed side, clutching the sheets so tightly that his knuckles were turning white "Please wake up…" he mutters "Please wake up…" he mutters again_

_But he doesn't wake up…_

…………………………

Allen did not gasp upon waking up, but there were tears falling from his eyes. They rolled down his cheeks continuously, he knew they were red, and he knew he must have looked horrible at that moment. He tells himself that it's just a dream, that he's still alive. He tells himself that it's alright. Nothing has happened, nothing will happen, his dream meant nothing. He'd been reading the first parts of '_Macbeth'_ too much maybe…

"Why are you crying?" Akagi asks him

Allen shakes his head slowly "I don't know… I had… a bad dream…"

"Was it a horrible dream? Why was it about uncle?" Akagi didn't look interested, but he sounded interested

"I was horrible… Was I… Was I shouting in my sleep?"

"No, but you were crying, and you said Uncle's name before you woke up"

"Yes…" Allen says "It was about your uncle…"

"What about uncle?"

"He… he died in my dream…" Allen said bluntly, he was just a child; he would dismiss such things, only created by the sub-consciousness

"Was it a vivid dream?" the boy asks

"Yes it was… Very vivid… That's actually why I'm crying…" Allen replies

"Some say that vivid dreams could mean a foreshadowing, the dream might be a future event…" Akagi says, his expression thoughtful

"Don't be so pessimistic Akagi…" Allen smiles weakly

"Though there are those who believe a dream of someone dying means that that person will live long. Some dream interpreters say that in some cases the exact opposite happens… Either way do you not think it is just a foreshadowing all the same?"

"I suppose"

"It's up to the person though I guess; I base these things on things I hear… I might be wrong…"

"You're very insightful Akagi, I'm really very impressed…"

"Well…"

"Do you want to eat breakfast?"

"I've eaten with Lavi"

"Oh? Well then…" Allen get's up from bed "…I'll just freshen up and go to the cafeteria… You can go to the library if you like, Lavi is probably there too…"

Akagi nods.

"You know where it is right?" the reply is a nod again "Well… Alright then…"

…………………………….

Allen took a short shower, brushed his teeth, and wore the usual clothes. Strangely enough he didn't feel too hungry, that was rare for the likes of him, though possible. It was probably because of his dream 

earlier; there isn't a person alive who wouldn't lose his or her appetite after a dream like that. Not that it was important if Allen had an appetite, he'd still eat like there was no tomorrow. That was the way he was, sometimes, eating made him feel better anyway. He didn't bother locking his door; there was nothing really irreplaceable there anyway. Slowly, he made his way to the cafeteria. Akagi had already left while he was taking a shower, so he was alone for now.

From Jerry he ordered the usual lot. A whole lot of the lot, and Jerry commented of how much thinner he was becoming. One would think such a thing was impossible. It wasn't though, being a parasitic type does have it's weird side effects, you will become some sort of freak of nature one way or another. Allen was never any exception to that.

Once his order was there Allen took a look around the Cafeteria. Where would he sit? Apparently Lavi and Lenalee had eaten early, there were a few finders there, but oh, they were all only on one side of the hall, Allen wonders why. There is an eerie aura coming from the uninhabited portion of the Cafeteria, and Allen realizes it was inhabited. Population – one. Kanda Yuu

So that explains it…

He doesn't seem to be glaring, nobody seems to want to take chances though, but who would blame them anyway? Kanda was intimidating whatever the case. Allen decided to make for Kanda's table. The swordsman did not seem to sense anyone walking towards him. Highly unusual. A few finders stared at Allen as he dared walk towards him. Others back away, expecting a fight.

Allen set his tray down noisily, just as noisily, he sits down. Kanda does not notice. Allen frowns. What could be on his mind to make him so dazed? Allen begins to eat, and chew he did noisily. Everyone was looking at him now, except Kanda. How disappointing. Allen continues to make as much noise he can. Still, there is no response to the usually irritable and sensitive swordsman. Allen bangs his fists on the table. Still there is nothing.

"So what'd you think of Macbeth?" He's still chewing, food particles flying all over. He says this in the most annoying manner he could manage. Finally he is noticed.

Kanda looks at him, and frowns "Oh… It's you…" he narrows his eyes "What are you doing sitting there bean?"

Allen decides to repeat his question, no food particles this time, his tone still annoying "So what'd you think of Macbeth?"

"Why do you insist on talking about those kinds of things with me? You're wasting your time… Shouldn't you be talking to the rabbit or something…" and Kanda is glaring at him

A shrug "Who knows…"

An exasperated sigh, eyes roll

"Just answer the question." Allen says, an intimidating expression on his face

"No"

"Just answer the question."

"No"

"Just answer the question."

"I said no"

"I'm never going to stop if you don't answer the question, now. Just answer the question."

Kanda glares at him, and Allen raises an eyebrow.

"I'm serious Kanda. Just answer the question."

He rolls his eyes "Fine" He says "Fine bean sprout, fine."

Allen leans closer, very interested in his answer. Kanda could only speculate his reasons.

"Well… The play I…" Kanda looks like he's debating on whether to say it or not, then he sighs "It's… It's quite…" he pauses "I quite like it…"

Allen blinks once, twice, and then begins to laugh hysterically.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Kanda's glaring intensely

"Damn!" Allen shouts in between his laughter "Tragic Romances, absolutely horrible he says. Depictions of evil on the other hand…" he pauses "I quite like it." He begins to laugh again

"That wasn't a very good impersonation of me." He continues to glare, though his face is becoming a tad bit flushed because of embarrassment, just a tad bit

"Sure it wasn't" Allen says, his eyes rolling his tone and face sarcastic

Kanda glares at him more.

"I guess I should have known that you have an affinity for all things evil…" and he's grining madly, a ridiculously bright glint in his eyes, Allen Walker looked absolutely triumphant, almost glorious even

Kanda is thinking of ways to kill him. Peirce his heart perhaps? Anything to kill him there and then, but no. Kanda remembers such things do not work on Allen Walker. A bean so stupid as to not even figure out that he's already supposed to die, that was not bad for the order, but right now, it was very unfortunate for our dear swordsman. He grits his teeth in frustration and glares at his empty plate.

"I bet you could even replace Skin Bolic as the wrath of No-"

Kanda rises from his seat swiftly, he reaches for Mugen, but by then Allen is holding onto his hands, restraining him. Gasps could be heard from the people around them.

"Sorry" Allen says "I've gone too far… Sorry"

Kanda shakes his hands of, glares at him, and then sits back down. Allen sighs then takes a seat once again.

"I'm sorry about that… I was just… Amazed that you'd answer the obvious answer for guys like you…" Allen laughs shakily "It doesn't make sense but…"

"Whatever…"

"I'm really sorry! You're angry aren't you?"

"No, why would I be? You're just a bean."

Allen rolls his eyes "Therefore I am insignificant, correct?"

Kanda drinks his tea and nods. "Exactly"

………………………………

A certain red head watches from the big door leading into the cafeteria. People passing by the halls stare at him and his companions, not wanting to ask what they're up to despite their curiosity.

"Yuullen log number one hundred seventy-three, Subject Allen Walker laughs hysterically at something Subject Kanda Yuu had said. The said swordsman flushes slightly; he almost takes extreme physical action. Nothing truly significant came of it" this seems to merely be Lavi's personal note "The handsome Lavi waits for Ms. Lenalee Lee's opinion on this event."

"The situation seems to be good. Progress has definitely been made. One can almost see the romantic tension radiating from the pair, the signs are good. They are more than just comfortable with one another." Lenalee says, in a tone copying Lavi's

"Ms. Lenalee Lee has given her sentiments. Yuullen log number one hundred seventy-four. Yuu is still lingering in the table despite having finished his Tempura Soba. No one is forcing him to do so. Is this one of the other many developments we've been waiting for? The handsome Lavi turns to Yuu's beloved little nephew, the child Allen seems to like taking care of. Kanda Akagi."

"This is stupid." Akagi says bluntly "Why are you two talking that way?"

Lavi groans "Oh come one Akagi… play along! I thought you were the child among us!"

"I thought so too…" Akagi says with narrowed eyes

"Just play along Akagi…" Lenalee says softly

"Fine…" the boy says with a sigh "Kanda Akagi thinks that their progress has been immense. Much progress on the physical contact department has been made in my opinion."

"Kanda Akagi has just put himself under our interrogation list. He seems to know something about Yuullen log number one hundred sixty-eight, Subjects both refuse to talk about the events that conspired in the trip from Romania." Lavi says, he glanced at Akagi briefly, grinning

"Lenalee Lee concedes with the notion." Lenalee says, giggling after she said it

"Right..." Akagi says "…nice one" sarcasm could not be more evident

It was quickly becoming one of those days…

……………………………..

(a/n: Short update… The chapter pretty much tells you what most of the Macbeth arc will be about… I'm so tired… school is so ugh…. D: … Thank goodness for English class (World Litt. xD). I might have references to mythology at some point in the story, influence of my English Class… xD But anyway hope this was good enough. I hope I can pull of the Macbeth arc well… Oh yes, for those who suggested some things for the story, I appreciate them. I'll try to give you what you want to see (: given it won't disrupt the story's plot flow… ok so anyway, hopefully I update next week, but hey, I'm already pretty busy… this is my last year before college so it's only natural but... D: sorry for squeezing a little rant, I'm a bit frustrated right now… I really want to update regularly but I don't know… don't mind me, just tired…)

Typos will be fixed on another day, please deal with them for now.


	18. A Reprise

"_What! Can the devil speak true?"_

_**-Banquo (Macbeth; Act I; Scene III)**_

**When the Black Order Acknowledges Theater**

_Disclaimer: I don't own D.Gray-man_

_(__**a/n**__: The final scene of this chapter might be familiar, but there have been some things added, it is after all told in another person's view)_

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: Macbeth (part two) **_(A Reprise)_

Eyes gaze forward, fixated on nothing in particular, the hall is not as empty as it should be. He cannot hear his own footsteps anymore; it's drowned in the sound of everyone else's. He'd been deprived of the solitude he usually enjoyed in these halls in the morning. He would never eat his most important meal of the day on an hour like this. There was no helping it that day however. He'd been held up, by his sub-consciousness even; and I was most evident that Kanda Yuu was not one to enjoy a disruption in his daily rituals. No he did most definitely not enjoy it, he despised it, he hated it, he loathed it. What is it that his sub-consciousness had done that made him experience such an inconvenience? Why let him have a strange and annoying dream, that's what.

It wasn't the type of dream you'd wake up from easily. It was the type of dream that you feel like it's really happening. It was the type of dream you couldn't stop recalling in full detail, and the kind you'd end up thinking about most of the day. All of those were the kind of annoying Kanda despised most. He absolutely hated having such dreams which plagued his mind for most of his day, making it impossible to meditate, let alone to train as well as he usually does. His usual tactic is to avoid the cause of the dream (normally the main character (aside from himself) in his dream or the main concept of his dream is what he deems the cause). This time he would make sure to do just that. This particular cause made him have the dreaded type of dreams several times now, Kanda thought himself crazy to have ignored the cause so long, it would be however, difficult to ignore.

He enters the cafeteria, and he's still walking and looking straight ahead. He grabs a tray and quickly walks over to Jerry, and then he just stares at the man. Jerry says some nonsense about what Kanda wants for breakfast, it was not as if he asked for anything else. Jerry sighs and quickly cooks the order, giving out a comment on how unhealthy Kanda's diet was. Kanda didn't care, he ate healthy everywhere else, he was rarely ever in the Order, and this was the only place where he always, _always_, ate soba. His food was placed onto his place, along with a cup of his favorite tea. Kanda gave a polite nod, and began to walk away; Jerry shouted something about enjoying his meal.

There were a number of people there, to Kanda's surprise there was not one exorcist among them, mostly finders. Akagi had told him in the hallway that he'd eaten with Lavi and Lenalee earlier. Kanda would have to warn the boy not to get too cozy with the rabbit; else he'd turn out into yet another annoying person. He slowly made his way towards a table. The people closer to the table moved farther away as Kanda sat down. It must have been the look on his face. Kanda didn't care. He had his soba, he was content. It was annoying that he found his thoughts wandering to the dream once again when he ate. It was an interesting dream. What it meant Kanda did not know. A foreshadowing perhaps? It didn't seem likely. It could have been meaningless, but something did tell him he was fooling himself when he tried to tell himself that it didn't mean anything.

……………………………

_It was a church. Half of the roof was long gone, the rain water formed puddles on the floor. Two of the marble pillars were shattered; the chairs were thrown everywhere, most of them destroyed. The altar was not as damaged, but had definitely seen better days. The glass windows had all been shattered save for one, the large one in the center, the image of the dove symbolizing the Holy Spirit on it. The pieces of glass sparkled as the light of the rising sun reflected on them. It was dawn. The night had been brutal, a blood bath of two. Their battle dance led them from the woods to the church, from dusk to dawn. _

_There was one. His dark tresses loose, all the edges uneven, his lip was bleeding and swollen, his face was scratched, the upper part of his cloak torn of, his chest bore wounds, his arms even more. An ankle was sprained, and he stood there limp. His eyes where narrower than usual, dark pupils shining more brightly than usual, he looked exhausted. His tattoo was by itself, quite a sight as well. He looked absolutely haggard. Yet Kanda Yuu had never looked more beautiful in his life, he had never felt more beautiful in his life, never felt more majestic in his life. He was not one for vanity, but there was something about the moment. The moment also horrified him to great extents, for it was one he'd never imagined himself to be in. There was pain, but a pain that was in the distance, the less sense that made the more right the description felt. But he was not the only site to behold, for there another stood before him._

_Hair as white as snow, drenched in the scarlet red of blood, eyes once blue and clear, red as a demon's, an expression so unreadable, an expression so inhuman. White feathers, pale white glowing skin, blinding white on one arm, a contrasting dark black on the other arm, he wore what could only be what remains of a suit, adorned with silver. Where there were wounds there was no blood, where there was blood there was no wounds. Kanda thinks that Allen Walker had never looked more beautiful in __his__ life either. He looked absolutely demonic, an eerie entity who for some reason refused to smile. Though for some reason, he looked absolutely gorgeous. He looked gorgeous as he stood there, in a very, __very__, twisted way. Kanda wonders what events on this earth could have resulted to this sight, what events could have resulted to this Allen._

"_You of all people…" Kanda says, his voice somehow resonating in the battered church_

_Allen just tilts his head to the right slightly, expression unwavering, lips parting ever so slightly, he looked like he was pondering on something about Kanda. He looked like he thought he was missing something._

"_You of all people should have known better." Kanda's voice has never been firmer, and his face has never been more resentful, beneath it all, he was just utterly disappointed, something shattered within him long ago, and at that moment the broken pieces were piercing him all over_

_There was silence, and slowly, very slowly, a crooked smile made its way to Allen Walker's face."How long…" he says, is voice was a tad hoarse, Kanda wonders how long it was since he'd once spoken "How long?"_

_Kanda doesn't need to be told what Allen meant by that, he knew, he knew what it meant. "Ever since you left, and…" a brief pause, a cold breeze brushed against his skin, and Kanda shivered "…and until now…"_

_And Allen frowned "It was for you…" he said_

_Kanda's eyes flared and he gave him the sharpest of glares "I didn't need any of it!"_

_Allen's expression became dejected. It was obvious he could not understand why on earth Kanda reacted that way._

"_You made it worse…" Kanda said his glare easing out "…You should have never left the Order, you should have never left…" he stops abruptly, but both of them know what he was about to say anyway "…They don't deserve you"_

_Allen gives what could only be a nod. _

"_Why do you stay?" Kanda, despite an entire life of resenting the feeling of mourning, felt that emotion filling him up as that precise moment "Why don't you come back?"_

"_I can never…" Allen looks at him, his face filled with melancholy, he closes with eyes, and one, just one of his eyes has tears rolling from it_

"_Do you remember…" Kanda's voice was soft, a whisper, and it was careful, hesitant "… what it was like being human?" _

"_No…" Allen says and Kanda hopes the disappointment he felt did not show in his face "...because…" Allen adds "…I only remember you…"_

_Kanda opens his mouth, but he decides not to say anything. He takes a deep breath and bites his already bleeding lip. He walked towards Allen as quickly as he could; he closed the distance as quickly as he could. He embraced him as quickly as he could. _

………………………_.._

The dream was too much to think about. There was so much going on in it, Kanda could only come to conclude a few things about it. In his dream, he had fought with the bean sprout, the bean sprout had betrayed the Order and had gone with the Noah, and he was insane enough to actually care about all that, hug the bean, and addresses him as Allen in his thoughts. He also managed to call himself, and the bean, beautiful, another sign of his clear insanity in the dream. What on earth was his sub-consciousness getting at? One thing was sure, he would not let such things happen. Step one, get away from the bean, get as far away from the bean as humanly possible, get away from him as long as his life lasts, and get away from him for all eternity. If step one goes exactly the way he wants it, he would not even need a step two. But there was a step two, one that he might just do, if he thinks of it. Tell Komui that the bean might do something idiotic in the future, the kind of idiotic that danced around the plains of betrayal. He'd do step two when he's in the mood, a day which the world might never see. Though Kanda highly doubted Allen would do such a thing, he was after all a bean with a martyr complex, but there was always a possibility. Despite not wanting to, Kanda immediately thinks of Macbeth as an example. He was not an evil man at the beginning of the play, in fact he was horrified and guilt ridden because of the very first murder he had committed. Murder however, was something he got used to, and the entire play showcased the great lengths and great evils Macbeth dared venture into, mostly for the sake of personal gain. Kanda believes the same thing might happen to Allen, though with the bean's current personality, that event remained a mere, 'impossible possibility'. Yes, that made sense.

Kanda thinks about it, and decides that may really be the best thing to do. To stop having these dreams, and to prevent that dream from becoming reality (if it was indeed a foreshadowing), he would simply have to get away from the bean, and step one would have been executed. He wonders if that should really be step one… He might be forgetting something important he should do first. Suddenly he actually _smells _the bean sprout, and he hears the sound of someone sitting in front of him, he decides to ignore it, it was probably just his imagination, someone must have seated him/herself behind him, and that sickeningly sweet smell was probably someone else. He hears various noises, which he dismisses as his imagination again. Then there is the peculiar bang of the table which he almost thought was not his imagination, yet he still dismissed it as if it was.

"So what'd you think of Macbeth?" a voice that was definitely not his imagination

Kanda looks towards the direction, and frowns, sure enough, it was the bean, just when he'd resolved to get away form him too. "Oh... its you…"he says, and he narrows his eyes, making sure it didn't look too much like a glare "What are you doing sitting there bean?"

"So what'd you think of Macbeth?" that Allen was trying to sound annoying was obvious, Kanda resisted the urge of rolling his eyes

"Why do you insist on talking about those kinds of things with me? You're wasting your time… Shouldn't you be talking to the rabbit or something…" and Kanda is glaring at him

A shrug "Who knows…"

An exasperated sigh, eyes roll

"Just answer the question." Allen says, an intimidating expression on his face, yeah right, Kanda thinks, as if that face would intimidate him

"No" he says

"Just answer the question." Allen urges

"No"

"Just answer the question."

"I said no" Kanda didn't know why the bean always insisted on being this annoying

"I'm never going to stop if you don't answer the question, now. Just answer the question."

Kanda glares at him, and Allen raises an eyebrow. He wonders just what the bean is up to anyway.

"I'm serious Kanda. Just answer the question."

He rolls his eyes "Fine" He says "Fine bean sprout, fine." There was obviously no use in resisting

Allen leans closer, very interested in his answer. Kanda could only speculate his reasons, who knew what could be on the bean's mind.

"Well… The play I…" Kanda debates whether he should lie, tell the truth, or just shout into the bean's ear a pointless stream of curses till he's deaf "It's… It's quite…" option number two just seemed to slip out "I quite like it…"

Allen blinks once, twice, and then begins to laugh hysterically.

Kanda's glare intensifies, immediately he wishes he'd gone with option number three "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Damn!" Allen shouts in between his laughter "Tragic Romances, absolutely horrible he says. Depictions of evil on the other hand…" he pauses "I quite like it." He begins to laugh again

"That wasn't a very good impersonation of me." He continues to glare, though his face is becoming a tad bit flushed because of embarrassment, just a tad bit, when was Kanda Yuu ever embarrassed?

"Sure it wasn't" Allen says, his eyes rolling his tone and face sarcastic

Kanda glares at him more, he was about to execute option number three, when Allen began talking again

"I guess I should have known that you have an affinity for all things evil…" and he's grining madly, a ridiculously bright glint in his eyes, Allen Walker looked absolutely triumphant, almost glorious even, it was by far, the most annoying sight Kanda had ever lain eyes upon

Kanda is thinking of ways to kill him. Peirce his heart perhaps? Anything to kill him there and then, but no. Kanda remembers such things do not work on Allen Walker. A bean so stupid as to not even figure out that he's already supposed to die, that was not bad for the order, but right now, it was very unfortunate for our dear swordsman. He grits his teeth in frustration and glares at his empty plate.

"I bet you could even replace Skin Bolic as the wrath of No-"

_That's it._

Kanda rises from his seat swiftly, he reaches for Mugen, but by then Allen is holding onto his hands, restraining him. Gasps could be heard from the people around them.

"Sorry" Allen says "I've gone too far… Sorry"

Kanda shakes his hands of, glares at him, and then sits back down. Allen sighs then takes a seat once again. It was not that Kanda didn't want to chop his head of anymore, it was just too crowded here, too many witnesses, the bean should be thankful, the crowd made him live another day.

"I'm sorry about that… I was just… Amazed that you'd answer the obvious answer for guys like you…" Allen laughs shakily "It doesn't make sense but…"

"Whatever…" it doesn't matter what the damn bean says, he went too far

"I'm really sorry! You're angry aren't you?"

"No, why would I be? You're just a bean." Kanda wonders why he is affected so much when he shouldn't it should not have mattered to him whether the bean had gone too far or not, why had it always been like this?

Allen rolls his eyes "Therefore I am insignificant, correct?"

Kanda drinks his tea and nods. "Exactly" he repeats the words in his head. Exactly. He is insignificant. Exactly. From now on he would get away from this person, from now on he would not even dare think of this person. From now on Allen Walker did not exist in Kanda Yuu's world. From now on Allen Walker was as good as dead.

……………………….

(a/n: I shouldn't be calling these last parts authors notes, what's in the beginning should be the author's note, this should be like… Author's last word or something… lol… Anyway here's the newest chapter… You have the storm to thank for it, we have no classes tomorrow because of it, I had time to do this… I'm busy with reports and stuff, and I'm busy dying with Math (I'm that class that get's the special tests, the harder tests, we're all dying really, not that our teacher cares)… and lol, guess what I'm playing Demeter in our class production… ahaha, ok I'm wasting all of your time with my life, just saying that next week might not allow me to update… Unless however, we are blessed with yet another storm… lol… BTW: Sorry to disappoint you all with what Kanda was actually thinking, I wonder what happens next… hahaha… )

The typos, as always, will be corrected on another day. Though I haven't gone about to correct any chapters yet. Maybe I should ask for help… haha…


	19. Give me a Reason

"_But screw your courage to the sticking-place_

_And we'll not fail"_

_**-Lady Macbeth (Macbeth; act I; scene VII)**_

**When the Black Order Acknowledges Theater**

_Disclaimer: I do not own D.Gray-Man… YEH… xD_

**CHAPTER NINETEEN: Macbeth (part three) **_(Give me a reason)_

_If there was anyone to be blamed, it was Lady Macbeth. Oh how well of Macbeth would have been without his lady. He might have been crowned eventually, but alas. Turned for the worse things have. Macbeth went down the path of damnation, and his wife had cheered him on. Lady Macbeth was to blame, if it wasn't for her clever manipulation. If it wasn't for her thirst for power, if it wasn't for her want to be queen… She was to be blamed, Lady Macbeth was at fault, she was at fault!_

"_No, no, that's unfair, quite unfair. Why do people blame the Lady? She wanted the best for her husband. " said Allen, surprised he's the one on the lady's side, and Lenalee on the other_

"_But how could she… really now how could she…" Lenalee said, pouting_

_They were in the hallway, having small talk as they walked towards Komui's office. Allen was going on yet another mission. To where he did not know yet, hopefully it was somewhere nice. Kanda was going with him on this mission again. So he'd been told. It was a good thing, Allen told himself. He had to work hard not to be so obvious though, Kanda was sort of oblivious, but he was not stupid, so who knew how long such things would last. _

"_I'll leave Akagi to you…" Allen said to Lenalee_

"_We'll have a lot of fun, Lavi can help in his spare time even" She replied, Lavi you see, was currently doing some serious bookman apprentice business, it was highly unlikely he'd be able to help actually_

"_Thanks Lenalee… After what happened in our last mission I'm not so sure it would be such a good idea if we took Akagi along again…" Allen thinks one traumatizing event like that is enough, though something very good came out of it… Allen wasn't expecting Kanda to do such a thing again_

"_Good luck on your mission!" Lenalee opened the door, and the two of them were standing there at the entrance to Komui's office_

"_-and that's why I'm not going on this effing mission. Let me know if you have any other mission for me." Kanda said, and he was glaring daggers, Komui did not say anything, he fixed his glasses, and then nodded. Kanda turned and began to storm out of the room, and then he saw Allen._

"_Uhm… Hi" was all Allen could say_

_Kanda rolled his eyes and looked at him squarely in the eyes "Hi, do me a favor and get the hell out of my life, bye" and without even a single sentence of explanation, he left_

"_What was that about?" Allen asked Lenalee_

_Lenalee looked at the direction Kanda went, worried expression, and she shrugged. "I don't know…" Something, she thinks, is definitely amiss._

_They both look at Komui, who fixes his glasses again and takes the black book from his desk. "The mission…" he said "…is in Paris"_

"_Paris?"_

"_Yes Paris"_

"_France?"_

"_Yes France"_

_Sure, now give us a Paris mission, just when he's angry with me. Allen scowls and Lenalee and Komui both flinch. It takes a while before Allen realizes what he's doing._

"_Uhm… Right, Paris, I'm so excited." Not even a hint of fake enthusiasm_

"_There's a horse standing on only his hind legs. It's not talking, but it's still obviously a very strange force at work. I'd like to think its innocence, if it's something else I'd rather send someone there too." Komui explained "I don't think this mission is as easy as it seems, so I was sending Kanda with you just to make sure, he doesn't seem to want to go for some reason, despite how he seems to think this might turn out to be quite a tough mission." He continued, and to that Allen raised an eyebrow "That aside, I guess you'll have to make do with the company of a finder, Timcampy, and yourself…"_

"_I thing I can manage" a horse, tsch, Allen snorts at the though, he didn't mean to be arrogant really, but come on_

_Nobody questioned how uncharacteristically arrogant his snort was. Allen had this tendency recently, when he was a tad bit upset, especially if the reason for his being upset was Kanda, he would be moody, and seriously out of character. His character would lean slightly towards a more Kanda-ish aura. He'd seem a bit haughtier at the best of times, down right arrogant in the worst of times. This time was somewhere in the middle, as much as it should be in the worst of times._

"_I'll go get ready now" Allen says, and Lenalee smiles at him nervously, telling him to take care_

…………………………………..

"I'm serious Lavi, Kanda hates me" said Allen, as he packed a few of his essentials, Lavi was there, probably skipping a few of his duties, he'd get in trouble for that later

"Oh come on Mister Walker, you can do better than that, you two get along so well…" said Lavi, it sounded like an impersonation, but of what we have to wonder. Lavi's mind works in weird ways.

"Lavi, kindly give me another explanation for him storming out, and telling me to get the hell out of his life?" Allen raised an eyebrow, a sarcastic expression on his face

There was silence, an obvious sign that Lavi had no other explanations whatsoever.

"Oh come on Mister Walker, you can do better than that, you two get along so well…" Lavi repeated, and Allen rolled his eyes

"I'm wondering what's up with that tone." Allen said in all seriousness

"I'm just thinking about how something I read would sound like in words" said Lavi

"Oh come on Mister Lavi, you can do better than that, you must have picked it up somewhere." Allen said, mimicking the tone

"Spot on Allen, impressive!" Lavi said with a laugh

"Thank you" Allen said "But I really wish I was thanking you for other reasons, like for instance…_ advice_…" Allen sarcastic expression returns

"I've got nothing on me, I'm totally clueless 'bout this… sorry…" Lavi scratches his head "It's a real wonder… what has gotten into him? Even Yuu isn't this vague usually…"

"I wish there was someway I could ask him to tell me what's wrong. I don't like being shut of just like that."

"Neither would I, but this is Yuu we're talking about, you can't just step up and say 'Hey, what the hell is up with you?'. His bite is worse than his bark, Yuu would kill you."

"I know that…" Allen sighed "What do you suppose I should do"

"Just wait for it…"

"Wait for what?"

"The chance?"

"Chance for what?"

"A move."

"What move?"

"_The_ move"

"Lavi!"

"Allen!"

Allen sighs exasperatedly, says something about Lavi not helping at all, he closes his small bag, and he's off. There is one thing he can do to help Allen, Lavi thinks about having a little talk with Kanda later…

……………………………..

_**Allen Walker admits to creating rants on the beauty of world's things and beings. It is a hobby reading Shakespeare brought about.**_

_**First there is snow.**_

_How does one describe snow? It's white, it's cold, it's beautiful. It is the sign of winter, it is the symbol of winter, it is what most people look forward to in the winter. The first snowflake falls, and the earth is enveloped in the beautiful white abyss. It's sort of like nothingness, the empty that comes before the full of spring flowers, the completion that comes after the draining of fall leaves. It is summer sun's polar opposite, completely different in feel, the winter snowflakes, oh how magnificent they are._

_**Then, Angels**_

_I do wonder, if angels exist. I do not think I would ever find out, I do however, would like to believe that they do. I hope they do. They should, shouldn't they? They should exist. Beings so full of glory, beings who have no spite, beings who are just so perfect, beings of perpetual might. I'd like to meet one someday. I'd like to see one walking down the street in the midst of May. Oh, how uncountable are these things I wish to say. I wish an angel would come my way. ( I love to rhyme, (Allen draws a smiley face here))_

_**Then, Music**_

_Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti. Won't you sing a long with me? (No) Mi Fa So La Ti Do Re. I'll sing without you anyway. (The way I say it, these words rhyme, Lavi says otherwise). I heard a song today, there was a girl playing a lyre in the streets, she was singing too, and with each song her expression changed. I especially like the one she made up as she went, rhyming phrases with names of the notes. Music from the heart, music from the soul, music from the stream of consciousness, it was a beautiful ballad, partnered with the girl's elegantly sashaying hips. Lavi declared a 'strike'. She was not gorgeous, as attractive as she was, but her music was simply enticing. C D E F G A B, leave me be, or love me do? (What could you answer to that? Allen thinks that last line will be loved for all eternity, love me do)_

_**Then, the Sea**_

_I will never be the first to create an ode to the sea. The majestic deep blue blanket, which covers the earth, it gives us our fish, it gives us the reflections of sunrises and sunsets, it gives us a different more mysterious bounty than the land. There is no one who knows the sea well; no one knows the sea well. Only the rivers and oceans knew the sea well. No mortal could ever. Oh sea, wonderful sea, let us be deserving of your majesty, give us this day our daily fish, and let the waters give the earth life. (I just wish I knew what I was talking about)_

_**Then, Himself**_

_How could Kanda not see how great I am? How dare he insult me like that? I, Allen Walker, who has saved his sorry ass more than anyone else has. I, Allen Walker, who has managed to let him eat his words more than once. Can't he acknowledge me as an equal? I want justice dammit! I demand Justice Kanda Yuu! Justice! I will not stand for such discrimination! I am not a bean I'm not a-_

_(Lavi: Hey there Allen, what are you writing over there, oh, ooooh… A written rebuttal to Yuu's insults, are you going to say these things when you see him again? I didn't know you practiced…)_

_(Allen: I'm making an ode to myself, I have a collection of odes, want to see?)_

_(Lavi: These aren't odes. Odes are poems)_

_(Allen: Well I'd like them to be odes, don't you? This one about angels rhymes!)_

_**Then, about Kanda**_

_If you think about it, Kanda is unattractive. Bangs evenly cut not even one split end for an artistic touch, in his bangs, in all his locks. Feminine facial features, which always pulls a manly scowl, or an indifferent expression to boot. He was manly as well, in complete contrast to his feminine features. By manly of course, I mean in body, and in attitude. Such foul language spouting from his mouth. Such ungraceful acts he does. Such an indifferent personality he has. Such steely eyes he has. Such flawless skin he has. Such a great blend his complexion is. Such soft hair he had. Ever so elegantly does his dark tresses fall. How graceful are his ways with the sword. How perfect are his instincts as a warrior. Beneath the warm says of the sun, or the beauty of the moonlight. Kanda Yuu's face glows in glory. If you think about it, Kanda is a god._

_**Allen keeps the last ode with him always.**_

…………………………

"Where are you going Lavi?" asked Lenalee "I thought you were supposed to be with Bookman?"

"And Panda's looking for me I'm sure…" Lavi looks around just in case though, when he sees no one he leans closer to Lenalee and winks "You never saw me" he said "Have you seen Yuu?" he said as he leaned away

Lenalee looked thoughtful for a moment "I saw him go into his room"

"Thanks" he says, and he waves goodbye as he begins walking.

"You look tired" Lenalee comments and Lavi stops walking abruptly

He doesn't face her. Lavi does look tired. His bandana isn't around his head as usual, it's around his neck, as if he felt too tired or too lazy to place it where it's supposed to be. His eyes are half-lidded and droopy. "I am" he says "But its ok"

"Say Lavi…Do you think it's my fault?" Lenalee asks, and she looks tired too, so tired.

"It could be…" Lavi admits "But it isn't…" he says "…it isn't…"

"I feel horrible…"

"You didn't do anything wrong Lenalee… I'll fix things… it's ok…" and he begins to walk towards Kanda's room again

They're both so tired, why can't things just go as planned? Lenalee felt like she was just making things worse, she felt like she was driving horrible events into the story. She wonders if she really did, as much as she hopes she hadn't, it felt like she did. Was Macbeth a bad choice? She can only hope for the best, and trust Lavi when he says he'll make things better. This is exactly why Lenalee dislikes Lady Macbeth.

……………………………

(**a/n:** I'm so uninspired. I'm sorry if the update is so short and weird. I have this list of all the chapter (existing and coming) of this fanfic and I wrote next to the titles the things I want to happen… Now I have no idea what I was thinking at the time I wrote those comments… I'm still following my original plan though… And so here it is, a new chapter, I didn't update for about two weeks… hmmh… It was about to be three because I had no inspiration whatsoever to continue (I'm dead tired from everything that's been going on…chapter 18 didn't get much reviews… Career Week is coming up in school… The English production…blah blah blah blah blah…)… But surprisingly… Thanks to the song "Angels" and my math teacher of all people, I got some inspiration for this chapter, and here it is, with a few pathetically attempted jokes, and a weird mix of different events…. Chapter Nineteen… )

Reviews please… They make me happy… I need inspiration… D:

Don't get me wrong guys, I'm not emoting all over the author's note, I'm pretty happy right now actually, just uninspired if you know what I mean…

Typos and stuff will be fixed later on (I have an editor now (I have no time to edit myself, obviously, haha!) once she finishes editing the R and J arc I'll post the corrected chapters)


	20. Contemplate

"_Double, double toil and trouble;_

_Fire burn, and cauldron bubble."_

_**-The Three Witches (Macbeth; Act IV, Scene I)**_

**When the Black Order Acknowledges Theater**

_Disclaimer: I don't own D.Gray-man..._

**CHAPTER TWENTY: Macbeth (part four)** _(Contemplate)_

"I'll have none of this." Akagi declares, "How long are you planning to fool yourself uncle?" he says "Honestly" he stresses that last word with an exasperated sigh

"Honestly…" Kanda says, rolling his eyes "Honestly, you should just mind your own business…"

"I'm family" says the boy

"And that has nothing to do with anything" is the answer

"Even if it doesn't, I'm still right" for that Akagi got a glare "It's fine, get angry at me for telling the truth."

Kanda rolls his eyes and tries to ignore him.

"The reason you're trying to get away from him is not the reason you think it is." Akagi tells him, like he knows Kanda better than the swordsman knows himself (one has to admit that was a possibility though)

"Is that so." Kanda replies as if uninterested, though actually quite annoyed. He was now tending to mugen in an attempt to ignore the boy

"It _is_ so. You think it's because of the dream…" Akagi pauses "Erm… Partly… It is because of the dream, but you're just using the dream as an excuse, you've been wanting to get away form him."

Kanda rolls his eyes "Read my mind haven't you kid…" and that was said with sarcasm, although it was serious.

"Still, it's not what you tell yourself it is. You think you want to get away from him because you hate him, but you don't hate him."

"Uhuh, right, I don't hate him, he just pisses me of…" Kanda pauses "… so much that I want to kill him" he says, Akagi doesn't know what to make of the tone

"You tell yourself that's the reason, but it isn't…"

Kanda doesn't answer him.

"It's not too late, you can still apologize, you can still be friends"

"Who wants a damn bean for a friend…" Kanda wrinkles his nose as if he's disgusted

"Certainly not you" Kanda's face looks a bit triumphant for a second but then Akagi adds "Oh no, you want to be more than friends uncle…"

Kanda stops tending to mugen and scowls at the boy "Not…" he says, voice furious but firm "…even if he was the last, damn human being on the face of this damn earth would I _ever, __ever_, even _think_ of him that way"

"Or so you like to tell yourself" Akagi says, not even the slightest bit unnerved "It's convenient for you if that was the truth, I'm sorry to tell you though, but not all truths are convenient"

"Yes like the fact that I have the likes of you for a nephew"

"Or the fact that I have the likes of you for an uncle"

Kanda scowls, and Akagi smiles sarcastically

"It's not to late, you can tell Komui to send you to Paris, he'll understand" Akagi winks

"I knew I shouldn't have ever left you alone with that rabbit." Kanda said

"Even if I hadn't met Lavi, the only thing I wouldn't have done was the wink" Akagi replies, face going stoic once again

"Tell me, what have I done to imply all those things to you?" Kanda's tone has a hint of sarcasm, but it's mostly demanding

"A lot of things Yuu but none you would never admit to doing" the voice is Lavi's, they look towards the door, and there he is

Lavi lets himself in and closes the door behind him. Kanda scowls at him "What are you doing here rabbit? Are you going to corrupt my nephew's mind again?"

"That sounds hilarious coming form you Yuu" Lavi laughs "But I think it's time we talk" he sighs, "It's surprising how lost you are without me…"

Kanda points mugen at Lavi "Do you want to die that much?" his glare is pointed

"That depends, by _'that much'_ do you mean, _'no not really'_?" Lavi grins

Kanda rolls his eyes "Get out rabbit"

"Oh come on now Yuu, you know you need to talk someone"

Lavi grins, Kanda scowls at him, and Akagi sighs.

………………………….

_**The Daisy**_

_They were of course, the most wonderful shade of obsidian. And there, in the cold blood drenched snow they spotted a beautiful lone daisy. Dainty was it's appearance, and strange was it's health, for how could such a delicate flower survive such a cruel blizzard? A miracle, he thinks, is a rational explanation. It was possible that he was out of mind right now; miracles were usually out of the question for the likes of him. He does not believe in such things. His eyes avert their gaze, and he just lies there, staring into the infinite sky. His skin was now cold, pale, and stiff. The obsidian tint of his eyes were shining marvelously, his eyelids drooping, his mouth parted slightly, his expression, tired. This might be the end of life, he thinks. The end of many things as well, he decides. He looks at the daisy once again._

_It's looks undamaged, perfect even. He knows that it's dying from the inside though, and soon it will be dead. He snorts at the thought; you might say he looked just about the same at that time. He was drenched in blood, but it was not his own, he had no wounds, but he was dying. It was poison. Flowing through his veins, killing him slowly, but surely, and he doesn't even remember how this came about. He laughs at himself, at how pathetic he must look right now. He grins widely, knowing that the bean would scold him for not getting to their meeting place in time. _

_He reaches for the daisy, he doesn't let go. Gripping it tightly he thinks, they will both die together, both looking immaculately exultant as they do. Then he closes his eyes, the sound of foot steps echo in his ears, his name is said, he's called an idiot, and then there was silence._

_When he wakes up, his eyes meet with the white of a ceiling. There was someone there at his bedside, snoring lightly, sleeping soundly. There was a vase at the bedside table as well, and in it was the daisy, it's stem a bit tattered from his grip, it's petals a little red from the blood, yet still so miraculously alive. _

………………………………_.._

"Never convince yourself that what you're doing is right Yuu, especially when it hurts others." Lavi waves around an index winger, in exaggerated disappointment

Kanda glares at him "Mind your own damn business rabbit"

"Alas, Macbeth hath corrupted thy soul!" Lavi shouts

"Are you sure you even phrased that correctly?" and Kanda is still scowling

"Cruelty is not a show of Masculinity Yuu, you should learn from Macbeth that such sentiments are preposterous!"

"What are you trying to achieve by annoying me?"

Lavi laughs, and slowly, his expression becomes solemn "I want you to fix it before things are beyond repair…"

Kanda doesn't even bother asking him what he's talking about, a little bit of deduction makes the answer certain. They are silent for a moment, and Kanda frowns at the floor, not quite glaring.

"How much of it is left?" Lavi suddenly asks

Kanda shakes his head "I really…" he breathes "…don't…know…"

"That my dear Yuu…" says Lavi "…is why I think you're fooling yourself…"

……………………………

_**Roses**_

_It is a universally acknowledged fact, that more people would nurture red roses than yellow ones. People do it unconsciously of course, but they do so because of what the roses represent. People want love more than friendship, a red rose more than a yellow one. It's perfectly natural, and perfectly annoying. Yellow roses last longer, red roses will wilt ungracefully, turning a dull black. The yellow ones will remain crisp and brown, not dead, just old. Not gone, but preserved. A red rose that lasts is very hard to find._

_He has never wanted to throw away a yellow rose for a red one. Though he admits he ignores the yellow roses offered to him often times, and he has really very few. He doesn't really mind, the less he has to tend to, the better. Roses are also troublesome as they are… nice? Yes, that's the word. He will never say he thinks of things that way though, it's to him, such a vile thing to say._

_He has seen both roses being thrown away, other times; they drop one and pick up another. He doesn't think it's right. There was a time he almost took a red rose, it wilted before he could. He realizes that's how red roses should be, they should only end with death, and for him that's all there was to it. Yellow roses are trampled on, red roses are crushed. His roses, will live in, they will bloom as long as he lives, and only in his death will they fade away slowly into nothingness. _

_He thinks that's how it should be, and he wonders if it makes sense. Suddenly he is offered a seed; he wonders if it's a yellow or red rose, he's just too afraid to find out._

………………………………_.._

"Ignorance is never bliss they say; it is a disadvantage whatever the case." Akagi says "or so, an old man once told me"

Kanda glares at the boy, thinking him insolent.

Lavi laughs "A six year old is more mature than you…"

Kanda rolls his eyes "At least I'm more mature than you" he snaps

"On the contrary, you are very childish Yuu, if you were more mature than me you wouldn't be answering me like that…"

A scowl "Whatever, I am not to blame anyway" to Kanda, that made perfect sense

Lavi laughs, apparently this conversation is hilarious to him "How exactly, did you come up with that kind of excuse?"

"That bean sprout's personality is a disease, it's contagious" he wrinkles his nose in disgust

"It's only contagious if you let it be…" Lavi grins "Think about what you just said Yuu, it really isn't that hard, just stop fooling yourself"

Kanda rolls his eyes "I wish you people would just stop making my life complicated…" Kanda scowls at him "Leave me alone, and get the hell out of my room"

"Ok, ok…" says Lavi "…But only if you think about it seriously right now"

Kanda rolls his eyes, and looks thoughtful for a moment. Minutes pass, and he frowns.

…………………………….

_**The Lotus Flower**_

_Nelumbo Nucifera. Lotus Flowers. There are those who believe the lotus flower symbolizes purity of body, speech and mind. That its unfolding petals suggest the expansion of the soul and that it's blossoming in the mud shows benevolent spiritual promise. There are also those who say it symbolizes divine beauty. There are those who think such beliefs are foolish, lotus flowers are nothing but pretty little ornaments._

_In a way, the more you claim that being pictured with something gives you beauty, or purity, or anything of the like, the more you are proving the point. Such things are mere tools for people to receive the exaltation they so desperately long for. Far too may have made the same mistake, and not just with lotus flowers, with all things coveted by man. Pointless, nothing, and no one except your own self can ever really bring true adoration and acceptance from others._

_In his culture, the lotus flower is often depicted along with purity and elegance. He supposes in a way that is definitely accurate. He wonders if anyone really knows what his lotus means to him. It was his life. In a literal sense. When it dies, he dies. But as it is alive, so is he. It was not just a tool, symbol, flower to him, it was… One of the few things he had left in this world, which truly belonged to him. It did not bring him glory, it did not give him beauty, it did not give him purity of life, it gave him life. All other sentiments about the flower, he calls stupid. _

……………………………_.._

Lavi sighs, and though not quite content "I'll go for now, but I'll be back" he smiles, uncharacteristically gentle "Think about it"

Kanda just wrinkles his nose and frowns at the ground. He gives no answer.

Lavi just laughs at that "See you Akagi" he waves a hand

"See you" the boy replies, waving a hand as well

"Keep an eye on him" he winks at Akagi

"Will do"

Kanda glares at Lavi "From now on get the hell away from the kid too"

Lavi laughs and the door opens with a bang.

"Brother's office…" she says, panting, they all think she must have ran "…You" she says looking at Kanda "…and You…" she says looking at Lavi "Now" she says firmly

Lavi blinks, Kanda and Akagi Stare. There is silence.

"What happened?" Akagi asks finally

Lenalee takes one final deep breath "You're going to Paris"

Kanda's eyes widen, Akagi grins, Lavi laughs.

……………………………….

(a/n: Why do my chapters suck lately… D: it is school? I bet it's school isn't it… UGH… it's so frustrating, I get what some of the reviews say, and so the previous chapter will be re-arranged sometime in the future… As for this chapter… UGH… It's disappointing I tell you, disappointing, what am I doing lately really? BTW only the last story is REALLY Kanda. The other stories apply to anyone.

Please review, tell me what you think, lately I've been relying on reviews to make the story better…. D: )

Typos and grammar will be fixed some other time….


	21. Night and Day

"_Had I but died an hour before this chance,_

_I had lived a blessed time,_

_For from this instant,_

_There's nothing serious in mortality"_

_**-Macbeth (Macbeth; Act II; Scene III)**_

**When the Black Order Acknowledges Theater**

_Disclaimer: I do not own D.Gray-man_

**CHAPTER TWENTY ONE: Macbeth (part five) **_(Night and Day)_

_Goddess Hemera, smile upon us as the new day begins. May the warm rays of the sun envelop this side of the earth, and awaken these hearts grown weary. Let the heavens illuminate, and shower us with radiance only divinity can bring. Let choirs of the woodlands sing as we are brought into the new morn. Hear the laughter of the maidens of the earth, as the springs and rivers flow, as the trees dance with the wind, and as the countless footsteps echo in every mortal ear. Bow your head down in humility to the earth's magnificence, rise in the brilliance that owns you, and smile upon the sights before you. Live in content. Savor the morn._

_**Savor Life.**_

_Live it as if all days were your last, as if tomorrow would bring your inevitable demise. For death lurks in the shadows of day, his hands always a mere inch from your being. For each new sunrise you witness, thank all the heavens and cry for the glory of a new day's battle. Tell yourself to cease each and every day dawn brings your._

_**The first light is here, will you heed this calling?**_

……………………_.._

"This should do…" says the nurse, French accent heavy "…careful not to move it too much dear"

"Yes" Allen says with a smile

"Whatever did you do to break you arm anyway?" the nurse asks

"Uhm… I'm not sure if I could-"

"Oh…" the nurse raises a hand to interrupt him "… Never mind, it almost slipped my mind that you were an exorcist… Sorry dear…"

"No, it's alright, really…" he says

"Well in any case, you should back to your inn and have a rest…" she smiles "…that horse will go anywhere I bet, this town has been living with it as strange as it is… Take your time…"

"Thank you… " he smiles "…Sorry to have bothered you…"

"Oh no trouble at all dear…" she smiles

"I'll be going then"

"Take care!"

Allen smiles, and waves goodbye; the finder escorts him out of the hospital, and they are on the streets of Paris. Allen chuckles as he thinks, 'On my first day, ever, in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, I lost a battle, and broke an arm. How graceful…'. He begins to wonder who Komui sent as backup. He thinks it's probably Lavi, as things are usually when these sort of things happen to him. Kanda wouldn't accept the order even if he was given it anyway, he thinks…

The finder looks at him curiously, as Allen begins to slap himself. 'Be happy dammit, you're in Paris… FRANCE!' he thinks.

"Oh that's right! Master Walker, would you like to try the escargot here?" the finder suddenly says

Allen stops walking abruptly "Escargot …" a wide grin plasters itself on his face as he faces the finder "You mean… Snails??"

"Yes" the finder smiles at him, unaware of what was to come

Allen's grin grows wider, if that was even possible "Let's go"

………………………

"Come on Yuu, don't tell me you're not even a little excited, this is Paris we're going to" Lavi says, they're on a train, on their way to Paris

"If you don't want me to kill you, stop calling me by that name, no, stop asking me pointless questions or, wait, even better. STOP TALKING." Kanda was never amused with babblings, not in his life

Lavi knew that "You're so boring Yuu…" but he never realizes that what he's doing is regarded as babbling by Kanda "… I wonder how Allen is?" Or does he…

"Shut up"

"I wonder if he's hurt… Is that why we were sent?"

"Shut up"

"Hope he's not hurt too bad though, in any case, he's probably enjoying the food there!"

"I said SHUT UP"

There is a knock, and the door of their compartment opens "I was told that we would be in Paris in five minutes" the finder

"Right then" Lavi grins "Thanks!" the finder nods, and closes the door

"So…" Lavi says "…are you excited to see Allen?"

Kanda rolls his eyes "SHUT UP"

…………………..

The finder finds himself dumbstruck, as Allen gulps down yet another plate of Escargot. The restaurant's chef is shocked and amused; this was his twenty-fifth plate.

"I think that'll be enough… Escargot is _really_ good" he grins at the chef "Thanks for the meal! Send the bill to them"

And as usual, the finder hands the chef the Black Order's address. Allen waves goodbye, and their off again.

"I've received a call" the finder says

"Oh, when?" Allen asks, he doesn't remember anything of the sort

"While you were eating sir"

"Oh… uh… Who was it?" Allen felt a tad bit embarassed

"Master Lavi and Master Kanda's finder sir, they have arrived, we are to meet them at the inn"

Allen stills "Wait…" he says "Lavi… AND Kanda…"

"Yes" the finder looks at him with the is-something-wrong look

"Right…." Allen laughs nervously "…right… let's… let's go then…"

………………….

_Sing, oh goddess, of these epic lives we lead. Sing Calliope, of the many wins and loses of these mortals, of our rise and our fall, of our beginnings and ends, and of the never ending melody of life's cycles. Flats for the forsaken, for the suffering, for the down, for the hopeless, for the tortured, and sharps for the forgiven, for the loved, for the exalted, for the praised, for those who indulge, for those in luxury… Sing each life in different keys, different notes for the various emotions, sing oh goddess, of the rage, the melancholy, the euphoria, the shame, the pride, sing of life, sing of living. Sing oh goddess, sing._

_The trills become those thrilling, the grace, become those fleeting, the tie, becomes those unnoticed, the rest, becomes those silent. Symbols in the music sheet, moments of the days. Then there is that highest, then there is the octave. All of it transcribed, all of it in ink, all of it permanent, none can be undone, their existence unchangeably perpetual. Poor forlorn souls, sing for them, sing for them Calliope. Sing of these epic lives. Song which are different but similar._

_**Songs that all end with a single note**_

_**Death**_

…………………

"Oh this cannot be…" says Lenalee "… what play should I assign!? I don't think anything would work anymore…."

Akagi sighs as the girl begins to loose hope. He looks at the stack of books and slowly reads all the titles. Lenalee stacked them with this simple criterion: the ones with love stories, and the ones without. Most of the plays had love stories, but those with uninteresting ones were stacked in the ones without anyway. Akagi sees the copy of _'Romeo and Juliet'_. That play, he thinks, worked well for them. Better than any other play. At least, based on what Lavi tells him happened with the past plays. Nonetheless, perhaps something which is a love story tragedy would do the two good. Akagi finds a play with a similar title.

"Antony and Cleopatra" he says, and he's surprised he could read it so fast

Lenalee looks at him, her expression bright. "Akagi, you're a _genius_!"

"I'd like to know why that is exactly…"

"I think that there is a similarity between Antony and Kanda… as well as Cleopatra and Allen… I hope that they both realize that…" she sighs "Oh well, you are still a GENIUS"

"I wonder if Macbeth is doing them any good."

"I hope so… but so far… I think I went and made things worse by choosing Macbeth…"

"I think the three witches are cool…" Akagi says, he was trying to change the topic, while not making it obvious to Lenalee "… who's Hecate by the way?"

"Hecate…" says Lenalee "…is the Greek goddess of witchcraft, it's very weird that she's there really… I think Shakespeare had a thing for mythology… maybe… Or… There are people who say that it wasn't Shakespeare who put Hecate there… but someone else…"

"What? Who then?" it's working, Akagi thought, it's working…..

"Some say Thomas Middleton added it in one of his revisions…" she looks thoughtful for a moment, then smiles "But who's to say?"

"Yeah…" Akagi replies "Who's to say…."

…………………..

There was nothing that he could do, when they had to enter that in. Lavi and Kanda would be waiting in the restaurant there, and Allen would just tell them the details of what happened. It was simple, but Allen thinks it's one of those hard moments in life. He was sure that Kanda would pretend he was not there, though he _will _listen…

He takes a deep breath and enters the inn; the owners smile at him and greet him, he smiles back. He slowly looks around the area and easily spots the two, Lavi's hair standing out in the dull colors of the inn. Kanda stood out too, so distinctly and beautifully Asian…

"Hey!" Allen says, and he hopes there isn't a trace of uneasiness in his voice

"Allen!" Lavi exclaims, and he's walking towards him, almost skipping, Kanda rolls his eyes, he was probably muttering 'dumb rabbit'.

"Hey Lavi" Allen says

"You broke your arm?" Lavi looks more curious than relieved "How?"

"It went for a little spin with the horse's hooves" he replied with a laugh "It's not my arm with the innocence… But I am really surprised that it got broken… The akuma were pretty effective distractions… and that horse could really… Err… fight… so to speak…"

Lavi laughs "Well that's ok, it'll be real easy with three o us here, ain't that right Yuu?"

"Whatever…" Kanda isn't looking at either of them, nor does he seem to want to acknowledge anyone's existence except his own, he answers Lavi with reluctance and irritation.

Allen sighs; it doesn't look like Kanda would talk to him at all in this mission. Oh what he'd give to live that moment in the train again… Romania had far better memories than France…

"Oh look at those people…" Allen hears a girl say "…they're exorcists, right?"

"Yes…" another girl says "The red head is quite handsome…" sometimes Allen wishes he didn't know French

"Oh? I find the Asian one to be the more good-looking one" says the first girl

"Yes, but I really wouldn't like to date a guy who's prettier than me…" says the other girl

"Well he is very pretty… What of that one with the white hair?"

"…. He looks pretty handsome but…"

"What is with the tattoo and hair?" and they both laugh

Allen frowns; some people are like that, even if he was an exorcist, those kinds of opinions would never disappear… Lavi and Kanda are both frowning too, they had ears, they could hear. Lavi pats Allen's shoulder, and Allen just smiles weakly. Kanda pretends nothing happened. Allen could swear, that Lavi glared at Kanda, but he might have been imagining it.

"Hey Allen" Lavi says, and Allen turns to him

"What is- mmph!" Lavi kisses him, brief, but right on the lips "…. It?"

"Don't worry about what they say" Lavi grins

And Kanda's eyes couldn't have gone any wider

………………………

_**In darkness there is light, and in light there is darkness.**_

_From the depths of the underworld, the goddess Nyx comes and brings forth the night. The sounds of crickets, the wings of owls, they resonate across the plains which are enveloped by the night. The howls of those who have passed and those who dwell in Tartarus reach the earth. Those left awake fear this. The night blinds us, it is a horrifying thing. The air has gone cold, the trees have gone still, the light is completely gone. Day has been shunned away by it's mother. The cycle prepares to repeat itself._

_**At the darkest time, the only sound is silence…**_

………………

(a/n: I honestly don't know what to say about this chapter… Just that I hope you guys got what I was trying to say, I made it so that I wouldn't mention what I was trying to symbolize like in the previous chapter… Well anyway, I noticed that whenever I don't update for a long time, I get less reviews… ahaha… I wonder why… Anyway… I was gone cause I had tons of Exams, our finals was just this week, and last weekend I took the college entrance exam to THE university here in the Philippines… so I was pretty busy studying… sigh Anyway…. I'm sorry if his chapter is pretty bad… I really didn't know how to go about it… but anyway, here's the new chapter…)


	22. Vulgarity

"_Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player_

_That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,_

_And then is heard no more. It is a tale_

_Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,_

_Signifying nothing."_

_**Macbeth (Macbeth; Act V; Scene V)**_

**When the Black Order Acknowledges Theater**

_DISCLAIMER: I don't own D.Gray-man…_

_**(a/n: WARNING: Some words and opinions in this chapter can be very OFFENSIVE. This is most especially true to Christians and Catholics. I'm Roman Catholic, but I merely wrote what I thought the character might have thought. I am sorry if this chapter would offend anyone)**_

**CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: Macbeth (part six) **_(Vulgarity)_

…And this is what he tells himself…

**It doesn't matter**

_That stupid effin' rabbit kissing that stupid effin' bean, it __**doesn't **__effin' matter. If anyone __**thinks**__, even for just __**one **__effin' second, that I effin' care well screw them, because I effin' __**don't**__._

**Like hell I'd care**

_It's __**their **__stupid effin' business, all I effin' know, is I'm effin' here, for this __**stupid. effin'. mission. **__I don't effin' care about what those effin' two, effin' do._

…Or so Kanda Yuu likes to tell himself…

…………………..

_Was it six or seven years ago, when Komui decided to give the young exorcists homework, __**homework **__of all things, book reports no less! Lavi did them well, comprehensive reports he'd write, reluctantly he'd write them. Lenalee did them enthusiastically, and they were not bad, not bad at all. Kanda didn't do any of it. He thought they were stupid. __**Except for one…**_

"_**La Divina Commedia"**__**  
**__**THE DIVINE COMEDY  
(Dante Alighieri)**_

_**An Analysis (and shit)  
**__**by Yuu Kanda**_

_Inferno_

_If hell was such an easy place to go to, then it isn't such a fulfilling trip. May not even be worth it. Virgil is a wuss. Dante's gay. Why is Homer in hell? What's the justice in that? Aristotle, Socrates, great men are in hell. I wouldn't mind being in the first circle of hell then. It might mean I'm a great mean. Thought I doubt it. I highly doubt it._

_I will not be in the second Circle, I will never wast my time with unnecessary things like lust. Nor would I be in the third circle. I hate gluttons. I would, however, like to see Cerberus. Now there's a worthwhile sight. I will not be in the fourth circle either. I have never been avaricious, nor have I ever been prodigal. Such immoral and demeaning adjectives. _

_Maybe I will be placed in the fifth circle. Wrath is not new to me, the world being shit and all. Why is Medusa here? __**She's not real.**__ The sixth circle I don't give much a damn about. I would like to meet the people here however. So many important people. In hell. Irony is nice. I might be sadistic._

_I WILL NOT BE IN THE SEVENTH CIRCLE_

_I hate people in the eight circle. So. WHATEVER_

_...I will be in the ninth circle for sure, in Caina, my soul immersed in ice up to my neck. It will not surprise me if I find myself there…. But…_

_I'd like to have a duel or two with Satan. Now __**there's**__ a challenge. I wonder if he's as strong as he seems…_

_The part where they get out of hell sucks. They should have hit Satan with a stone at the very least. What a way to end Inferno. Those cowards._

…………………………..

"Macbeth definitely ended up in the ninth circle. Ne Yuu?" says Lavi, as the three are walking along the streets of Paris, late in the afternoon

Kanda shrugs.

"Ninth Circle?" Allen asks

"Inferno" Lavi thinks that was enlightening

Allen retains his confused look

"La Divina Commedia"

Allen gives him a still-doesn't-ring-a-bell look.

"The Divine Comedy" says Lavi, in a tone which says it-should-be-obvious "By Dante Alighieri, one of the most influential Italian writers? Ring a bell?"

"Ah…" Allen says "I _think_ I heard of something like that… Or someone like that…"

Lavi laughs "Anyway, the thing is Komui used to make Yuu, Lenalee and I read it when we were younger. It was our favorite among all the books he made us read…" Lavi looks thoughtful "Wait… Actually… The Divine Comedy is a series, with three books…"

"I see…" it might be hat Allen is just nodding along

Lavi laughs again "Yuu was the one who liked Inferno the most among the three books…" Lavi looks at Kanda teasingly "Purgatorio was for the weak, and Paradiso was too nice, he used to say…"

"Macbeth…" Kanda says "…would be completely encapsulated in ice…"

A low whistle "Judecca…" Lavi says "Right… 'cause he killed the king…"

"I wish I knew what you're talking about…" it was five seconds later when Allen realized he had said that out loud, he clasps his mouth shut with his able hand, blushing slightly in embarrassment

Lavi laughs "Oh Allen!" he begins to poke Allen's cheek teasingly "That is SO cute!" he laughs even louder

Kanda pretends he's not hearing this flirting. He pretends not to mind that it's being done at an inappropriate time, like this, a mission. A MISSION. Work was like, Kanda's sacred time. SACRED. Thou shall not destroy Kanda's sacred time by flirting with a teammate. But Kanda was ignoring it. Better in situations such as this.

When Lavi finally stops laughing he asks "So anyway Allen…" he starts to act in an ok-I'm-serious-now way "What's with this horse?"

"Err…" Allen begins "To cut the story short… He's got some akuma guards you need to sneak past or kill first… and I don't know why, but once you kill one, a replacement arrives almost immediately. I think having a distraction is good. The horse is pretty tough, but in a lame way, his hooves are…" Allen grimaces, points at arm

Lavi nods "Yeah" he says "I see…"

"Anyway, a team of three is perfect I think, one takes the innocence, one distracts the horse, and another bets the akuma senseless." Allen says

"I think Yuu would like the job of beating akuma senseless." Lavi grins, and turns to Kanda "Ne Yuu?"

Kanda appears indifferent "Whatever…"

"Right, that settles that!" Lavi puts his arm around Allen "I'll distract the horse for you then Allen…" and he beams at him

.Ignore. Ignore. Ignore.

……………………..

_Purgatorio_

_Weak, weak people. Being in purgatory is like proving to yourself and to the whole universe, that you're a coward. A spineless, weak, coward. WEAK. If the conditions to go to purgatory were really like this, then it takes some real swallowing of pride to ever get here. That would never work for me… People here lack __**resolve**__. Oh I'm in Purgatory, I took back every thing I did, cool or not cool. Hahahaha. HA THEIR FACES. Everyone in purgatory ate their words__**. WHAT. IS. UP. WITH. THAT. ? .**_

_Sin is relative_

_Right and wrong varies._

_Why is penance enough?_

_Heaven_

_Hell_

_Is purgatory really in between?_

_Why is there even something in between?_

_There doesn't need to be_

…_I wonder if it's really fair…._

_**.Pride.**_

_**.Envy.**_

_**.Wrath.**_

_**.Sloth.**_

_**.Avarice.**_

_**.Gluttony.**_

_**.Lust.**_

_Don't tell me you don't have even just __**one **__of those vices. The lack of these makes you inhuman. Boring even. They should have never left hell… What's up with Beatrice? Ugh… The only worthwhile thing was the angel with the sword, the one who guards purgatory. When he wrote that "P" on Dante's forehead. I was thinking I should write a K or Y on the foreheads of people who piss me off from now on._

_**.Sounds like a plan.**_

……………………_._

"Wait here" Lavi says "I'm going to go for a drink, be back in a while!" and with that he's off, tugging a finder with him

Silence is awkward

"Ah… So you went anyway…" this, Allen was saying to Kanda

Kanda chooses to remain quiet. Ignore.

"So you're not talking to me then"

Kanda answers him in his mind, not saying it out loud, retaining the 'ignore' facade._ No._

"You know, I'd appreciate it if you told me why"

_.Figure it out._

"This is unfair Kanda…"

_.I know it is, you don't know just how much it is._

Allen sighs "Fine"

_.Fine._

"So we're just going to pretend that the other isn't there, that we don't know eachother?"

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………_.I don't know…_

"Whatever" he slaps himself on the face"I won't let you ruin the day I first tasted escargot!" and he points at Kadna accusingly

Kanda ignores him. There is silence, the positions are held still. The finder with them coughs at the awkwardness.

"Tsch…" Kanda turns his head away

The strangest thing happens, Allen smiles.

Later, Lavi tells them they should head for the horse.

**Not the best idea**

…………………..

__

_Paradiso_

_I don't think anyone I know will be going here. Lenalee might. But she's Lenalee. I don't think anyone else I know would be going here. I think I understand this part the least. I don't understand what it takes to get to heaven. Do you have to be perfect? Overly righteous? No. Maybe you need to be selfless, a martyr. A saint. Saints do not live long. I wouldn't want to be one. I want to live as long as my being allows it. _

_**Piccarda **__on the first sphere_

_**Justinian **__on the second sphere_

_**Charles Martel of Anjou**__ on the third_

_**St. Thomas Aquinas and King Solomon**__ on the fourth_

_**Charlemagne **__on the fifth_

_**Constantine and Trajan**__ on the sixth  
(I wonder why Trajan is also here, he persecuted Christians did he not?)_

_**Peter Damian**__ on the seventh_

_**St. Peter, St. John, and St. John the Evangelist**__ on the eighth_

_**God is the final destination.**_

_I wonder if I'd be as enlightened. I wonder if I would feel fulfilled. I wonder if I would feel complete. I wonder if I could ever even reach there. I suppose I will not. The likes of me will burn in the pits of Hell. No, I will FREEZE in the pits of hell. I wouldn't complain, I deserve it. Paradiso is too nice for the likes of me._

…………………………_**..**_

_**Tick tock, goes the clock, times up.**_

_**.Bloody. Bloody. Bloody.**_

_**Is he dead or alive?**_

…………………………_**.**_

(**a/n**: **NONE OF THE COMMENTS ON THE DIVINE COMEDY ARE MY PERSONAL PHILOSOPHIES. **I'm actually Roman Catholic, so yeah. Sorry again if anything in this chapter offended you. I'm guessing I won't get much reviews for this chapter. That seems to be a trend for chapters of this like… But I noticed chapters which involve kissing get lot's of reviews… lol hahaha… ANYWAY… I'm pretty busy in school, but classes were suspended today… yeay… still busy though. Foundation Week at school next week … xD

Lately I have a writer's block (for this story), explains why this chapter is so short. I'm taking a trip to the giant bookstore here this weekend… Maybe THAT will inspire me…

OH by the way guys, have you watched Episode 93 of DGM? So Yuullen… xD)

Typos will be fixed another day…


	23. The Things We Know

"_What I believe I'll wail;_

_What know believe, and what I can redress,_

_As I shall find the time to friend, I will."_

**-Malcom (Macbeth; act III; scene III)**

**When the Black Order Acknowledges Theater**

_Disclaimer: I don't own D.Gray-man…_

(**a/n**: Let's all remind ourselves, that this fanfiction, is _**rated T**_.)

**CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: Macbeth (part seven)** _(The Things We Know)_

_**Kanda**__  
on Bushido  
at age eleven (and three months)_

_**Do you smell that?**_

_Rust, blood, earth, tears, and sweat. These things marked the scent of the battlefield in my kin. Permanently penetrating our beings and staying with us for all eternity. It will plague us endlessly, as the ghosts of those we murder will also haunt us endlessly in our dreams. Our blood stained hands, will forever remain unclean. We will never be able to wash our sins away, the poignant scenes of our nightmares, and the many scars we will gain, will never be enough to atone for the sins we carry. We do this for justice they said, but to me, the truth differs…_

_**Because there is no justice in bloodshed**_

_Rust __of the __blood__stained swords a smell so dizzyingly powerful, a sickening partner to the scent of the __earth__, where corpses waste away, vile to all those who breath it in. There are __tears__ shed for brethren by women, children, and men alike. Only befitting to this festival of life-taking, where the __sweat__ of mean, the good and the bad, pang in our noses. Poisoning our senses, making us see things which we should have never seen. But this is how we should be, how I should be, the order for us is simple. _

_**Kill a thousand men**_

_Comply, and it shall give you honor, and it is an incredibly strange honor in my eyes. Honor for doing something inhuman, so wrong, so sinful, so __**dis**__honorable. It is so strange that they hold parties for men like me; they hold large expensive gatherings, in celebration of someone's death. All while another kin _

_mourns their loss. It is the same whichever side wins in a battle. That is why there is really no winners or losers in war. People will just label sides for their pride and pettiness. People will just celebrate in the downfall of others. Such strange ways people have, oh so very__** irrational**__. Men like me, we are nothing when we have not killed, but we become heroes once we do the very same thing which others do to become villains. The irony of it all, the __**irony**__! Gaining glory for things which bring shame to others… It should not be done, yet most men bask in this glory, such witless fools… They do not realize how hypocritical they are…_

_Lest they do not remember  
Killing is not our destiny  
It is our __**job**_

_And you can choose not to do a job, I remember some people telling me that, of course they were lazy free-loaders. But I think they're pretty much spot on. Though I do not think our "job" is simply __**just**__ a job. You do not become like us for money, you do not become one of us for whims. Becoming a man of the sword require a strong will, it requires consistency in beliefs, loyalty to promises, and unfathomable determination. Frugality, loyalty, mastery of the martial arts, and honor unto death, one must follow the code. It is not easy to be one of us. You become like us, because you have a sense of obligation, a calling._

_**A call of duty**_

_To protect family_

_To protect government_

_To protect all citizens_

_To honor life_

_To honor death_

_**To honor the ways of the sword…**_

_None should be taken advantage of  
As it should naturally be_

_Kill not for the glory so many seek  
But for those whom we must protect_

_Live by the code_

………………………………

It had obviously been a bad idea to attempt to get the innocence, with only so much as a rough plan in mind. What had Lavi been thinking when he suggested that they should go for it then and there? What had Allen been thinking when he agreed to such a suggestion? What had Kanda been thinking when he just went along with the ludicrous action? Carelessness might have been their folly, but in any case there is one thing we can be certain of. They did **not** do much thinking, not much thinking at **all**. They **did **get the innocence, but at what cost? They had gotten lost for a few hours in the darkness of the late night. The two finders were doing their best to guide them to a nearby hospital.

"You saved him" it was not said teasingly unusual for Lavi. He said it in such a tone which said, 'I am pleased'.

Kanda did not answer, but for some reason, Lavi seemed even more pleased at that. Their injuries were not so bad. Kanda got a few bruises, and Lavi got a (treatable) gash on his arm, it was from fighting back a few seconds too late most likely. Allen had fainted, but it was probably more due to exhaustion than any injury, he was relatively unscathed. He was heating up though, he might have fainted because of a fever. Either way, they were all relatively fine. It could have been the other way around though.

They could have died. If not for Kanda and Lavi's swift job swapping. Kanda left his post to save Allen, Lavi was quick to notice, and he went to replace Kanda in his post. Though unfortunately, his lack of preparation (in all ways possible) led to that injury of his. After a bit of a struggle against the horse, Kanda got the innocence. It was a wonder that mugen was still in tact, the horse was really something. Horses should never stumble upon innocence ever again.** Never**. Kanda had saved Allen from those horrible hooves; hopefully they wouldn't to face anything like them again. But to all animal lovers, Kanda would like to say (or rather Lavi would like Kanda to say), that the horse did not die, so no worries…

Kanda carried Allen bridal style. The particular style being the only one Lavi and he could agree upon. It was comfortable both to Kanda and Allen. Kanda had considered other ways of carrying him, but the one Lavi suggested, he was not comfortable with, the one he suggested, Lavi deemed uncomfortable for Allen. Finally they went with the bridal style, although it was uncomfortable for Kanda for other reasons, but that wasn't really a good idea to show Lavi that. We all know why. Anyway, despite what Kanda might say, he inwardly agreed that both he and the bean should be comfortable, for fairness… purposes…

"Oh why!" suddenly Lavi was being all dramatic "Why is Timcampy not here today of all days?"

Kanda shot him a questioning look… or his version of a questioning look at least. On anyone else's face that would have been a pissed look.

"I wish I could record this scene on video… and not just on paper…" Lavi pouted for a moment, and once Kanda rolled his eyes, he grinned.

"The damn **thing** is probably with the perverted general" Kanda said

"I know that… Don't you know a rhetorical question when you hear one Yuu?"

Kanda shot Lavi a glare, "Shut up you damn rabbit" he snapped

Lavi gasped exaggeratedly "Such venomous words!" he pretended to be appalled "Watch your mouth Yuu!"

"Tsch…" and after wrinkling his nose in disgust, Kanda turned away.

"Is that anyway to treat your best friend Yuu?"

"Stop whinning…" Kanda didn't face LAvi, but the swordsman reflexively narrowed his eyes "… Tell me, since when were we best friends? I don't recall befriending you or anyone for that matter…"

Lavi blinked, genuinely surprised by the words Kanda had said, mostly the **last five ones**. Komui hears all, Kanda should-

"I mean…" Kanda was uneasy "I guess Lenalee is the closest thing I have to a…" he didn't swallow, he didn't breath, he just stopped moving altogether "…friend…" why was that word so hard to say? "Not that she's a **thing**…" Kanda was trouble with admitting feeling, or admitting he had any good relations with other people. It was not his thing. **Definitely** not his thing…

"Oh Yuu…" said Lavi "… Don't you remember? The moment we met, that's when we became friends…"

"Really? I remember the day we met as 'The day I swore I'd kill a rabbit', and consequently as, 'The day woodland creatures started to annoy me'."

Lavi laughs "You're so silly Yuu…"

Kanda rolls his eyes, as the one beside him continues to laugh.

A finder spoke "Shall we continue heading for a Hospital sirs?" they had apparently been immobile for a while now "I believe Master Walker will need some medical attention, as would you Master Lavi…"

Kanda ignored the absence of his name in that statement; this guy had been his finder a few times before. He probably knew about the healing rate. Kanda just **knew** he was fully healed by now too. He did however, feel the need to bathe. Which he was actually natural to him; this was how he was after a mission. It was either a bath, or a long nap. Never anything else, no, not even soba (maybe not soba, maybe).

Kanda huffed, the cold of the night was kind of getting to him "In a bit…" he told the finder. Despite the cold though, he felt the need for a pause, he still hadn't eliminated all his awkward feelings. Stuff he wasn't used to feeling in short. Damn that rabbit for making him think of such things.

"Hey here's a good question.." Lavi wrapped his good arm around Kanda's shoulders, careful not to put either of them out of balance. Kanda was too tired to shrug him of, but he tried, a little bit. **A little bit**. Not that it worked in the least. "What…" Lavi said "…do you think of Allen over here?" he fiddled with a lock of Allen's hair and grinned.

Kanda, despite himself, chocked on his own saliva.

Naturally, Lavi found this absolutely **hilarious.**

……………………….

_**Allen  
**__on Chivalry  
at age ten (and a half)_

_In England, I remember hearing stories about chivalry… I don't think becoming a knight is too hard… It seems that for most of the knightly characters, it was remaining loyal to their king that proved to be the most difficult part, why with all the temptations and what not. Lancelot is probably the most popular example of a knight succumbing to the temptations, betraying his king by having an affair with the queen. When King Arthur found out, it was probably more of Lancelot's betrayal that downed him rather than his wife's adultery. It might have hurt Arthur a lot less if his wife had slept with any other guy besides his dear knight Lancelot. If only King Arthur didn't love his wife's lover like a brother and son. If only he was not so important to him. It would have hurt a lot less. It was a trust he so counted on, and now he had none of it. I think that is just goes to show that love is a fickle, unpredictable, and undependable thing, and that trust should be strong and dependable, but it isn't always._

_**That's what I think**_

_That's why relationships built on both love and trust are harder to mend when they break, because they're supposed to defy all laws by being contradicting, being both weak and strong. Arthur probably trusted Lancelot more than anyone in the world and his love for both his wife and his knight made the shattered trust just impossible to reconstruct. He was destroyed, utterly crestfallen, and since Lancelot and Guinevere (the queen) were both so guilty to the point that they separated, there was really nothing to be done… That's just how it is, I guess I can't really explain it otherwise, what's fact is fact. Forgiving is easier said than done. We all know that._

_**That's why the word revenge exists**_

_I remember watching a play (yes, in England too) when I was young. There were witches, there was magic, there was a King, and he died. No, he didn't die, killed is the better word. He was killed by someone he trusted. There were many people outraged by this betrayal of course, as loyal people should. But I do always wonder what the King would have felt if he had lived to find out about it. It probably would have become one of his most traumatizing moments; such an event would crush him more than it _

_would crush any of his loyalists. What's more is unlike Lancelot, the filthy man killed his king for power. Not for love, or passion, as Lancelot did, but for greed, for personal gain. _

_**To feed his (and his wife's) lust for power**_

_I do think that chivalric stories were better in a sense that they were more… humane… So to speak… They were more honorable people, the knights. The characters in the play had less sense of virtue…_

_It was much later when I realized  
that the play was in fact_

"_**Macbeth"**_

_By much later,  
I mean right now_

_While I'm trying to distract myself from what's at hand,  
damn these debts…  
_

……………………

After setting Allen down on the hospital bed gently, Kanda plopped himself down on an empty bed, he sighed tiredly and just watched wearily as the nurses began to tend to Allen and Lavi in front of him. A nurse offered to treat him but he politely (?) declined the offer, saying he was fine. He then requested that once they were done treating the two, the three of them were to be given a room for two patients, a private room, with a couch too, and a **shower**. Kanda stressed the word shower. If they were going to stay overnight (which was really a sure thing), then he might as well get that shower of his.

A few more idle moments later, they were finally taken to a room. The finders stayed outside, probably playing cards. Lavi went to sleep immediately. And Kanda proceeded to taking a shower. In one word, he would describe the shower as refreshing… So. Damn. Refreshing. The cool water he pelting onto his skin refreshed him and made him feel better. Like his head was on fire a while ago, and now the flame was extinguished. He lazily put on some new underwear (that the hospital provided), followed by his pants and his hair. He fell onto the couch, and he huffed as he sank in the soft cushions. He turned his head to the side slightly, as he stretched out his arms. He realized that there was a curtain dividing the two beds in the room. The former occupants of the room much have wanted more privacy. People who didn't want to meet and greet strangers on their own.

He closed his eyes for a brief moment, and then he sighed. He looked over to the bean sprout's bed. The snow haired boy slept soundly, snoring lightly. Kanda thought about Lavi's question, and how he had no answer to it. In all honesty, Kanda had no idea about how he thought of Allen. It was complicated. **Very complicated**. It was so complicated, that is was downright infuriating. For the bean to let him have such 

disgustingly romantic dreams, he must have though of him special in some way. But the bean was the bean. It used to be that Kanda thought there was nothing more to it. There **shouldn't** be more to it, he tells himself. He knows there** is** more to it though. Something the likes of him has yet to understand. Something so many other people have already figured out.

**Something just so unbelievably annoying**

A little voice inside of him says, things are only annoying when you make them annoying, by caring, and having excessive pride. He should just throw all the pride away and face what should be obvious. He had to claim what was his.

A quick glance at Lavi

Before it's taken away form him

……………………..

_Taking a break form reading 'Macbeth' to Akagi, Lenalee decides to tell the boy a few things a bout his uncle. She remembers how Kanda denied subconsciously, that he was no longer in Japan. She tells Akagi that he is still in denial, a little bit. With the tempura soba only diet and all… Akagi listens as she continues to speak. _

_There was the time when she yelled at Kanda for training too harshly. He had __**insisted**__ that he train himself like any of his mentors would have. He would return to headquarters all beaten up after his morning routines, it was to most people, troubling. General Tiedoll tried to stop him once, it only became worse._

_Akagi interrupts, he asks what kind of training could he have possibly done to get so beaten up._

_Lenalee says she didn't care so much about that detail anymore, she didn't try to find out even, she just knew she should tell him to but himself some slack. This was not Japan, and had no mentor whatsoever, so he could at least give himself a break. _

_Akagi asks if he did as she said._

_She answered "Of course"_

_The boy snorted and said that he could imagine. Lenalee slapped his shoulder for that._

_Lenalee told Akagi about how at first, Kanda would not speak in a language other than Japanese, despite being perfectly capable of speaking in English. Everyone was so stressed about him shouting Japanese words in such venomous tones, she said._

_Akagi says that again, he can imagine._

_And the two laugh_

…………………………

Allen is vaguely aware that someone is hovering over him. Slowly he opens his eyes, and he has to rub his eyes a few times to assure himself that what he's seeing is real. Though he wonders, he seriously wonders, why that is.

"Kanda, why-"Kanda's palm clamps his mouth shut and the swordsman sits on the bed. Allen shifts into a kneeling position as he removes Kanda's palm form his mouth. "What are you doing?" Allen says

Kanda shifts his gaze downwards and sighs. He turns to look at Allen again, his dark eyes glazed with determination, and then he cups Allen's cheek, surprisingly it is a gentle gesture. Kanda leans forward, and their faces are only one or two inches away. Allen doesn't feel his heart beating anymore, is it still beating? It might be, he's still alive and all.

Kanda's expression wasn't tender, Allen thinks that's not an expression Kanda's face can ever muster. But the heat of his gaze and determination seeped into Allen… That, and-

**He's so close  
**(Allen thinks)

The distance is gone, and they're kissing. A deep, passionate kiss, hot, fiery, eager… There is the sound of rustling. They move about, grasping each other's shirts once in a while, Kanda's arms slip around Allen's waist as the younger boy wraps his arms tightly around his neck. The kiss lasted minutes, heavenly, indescribable minutes, eventually Kanda ended up sitting on the bed, Allen on his lap.

Later on, as with any kiss, are became an issue.

They broke the kiss almost simultaneously, their heads remaining close; foreheads pressed together, both of them panting heavily.

"Why?" Allen managed to ask, and soon after, he found himself pinned down onto the bed.

'I've decided not to think too much…" a pause "… when it comes to you at least…" and he dove down, but Allen stopped him

"What do you mean?" Allen asked "Don't do these kind of things out of whims!" he said it almost angrily

"I'm not" Kanda said firmly, slightly assuring, "It.. It just makes more sense…" he begins nuzzling the younger boy's neck, and Allen shivers "… if I think about you, things get complicated… and…" he lifts his 

head up to look at Allen squarely in the eyes "…and I don't think I **can **stop thinking about you... so …" he breathes "…so to make things easier… to make this whole effin' ordeal less complicated…" Kanda grabs the collar of Allen's shirt, and presses his cheek onto the younger boys chest, his hot breath tickling the skin. "… I've decided… to just do away with… with…" He paused and sighed heavily "I just wanna stop this stupid moronic effin' denial ok…" he breathes "Jeez…" he says. Once more, he lifts his head and looks at Allen squarely in the eye "I will not regret this, and I will stop ignoring you…" he smirks "…part of my getting over this shit…" and he descends once again, kissing Allen's neck, making the younger boy squeak.

Allen thinks it's so wonderful too good o be true. Just too good to be true, but it just so **IS**.

"Wait!" Allen exclaims, a sudden realization hitting him, and Kanda breaks away, props himself on his elbows, and eyes the boy beneath him with impatience, eyebrow raised

"What is it this time?" there was a growl in there somewhere, Kanda was getting very edgy

"It's just…" Allen glances at the sleeping figure beyond the curtain "Lavi's there…" he whispers

"Oh" Kanda answers, sounding a little bit relieved "…we he won't see anything"

"But he will hear"

Kanda smirks, leans down, and whispers softly into Allen's ear... "I **know**"

……………………………………….

(**a/n**: Surprised? Pretty long chapter ain't it (compared to what I've been posting lately at least), probably because I wrote it down on paper first… It was actually supposed to be longer, but I'm leaving the other sub story for the next chapter… Anyway… Various inspirations for this, but I'm relatively ok with how it turned out. I am unsure if the real time events were written well enough (or in an ok manner at least)… but anyway… that's that, please review… I've have never written anything quite like this chapter… I'd like to know if it was ok (and where I can improve, or evs)...)

Typos will be fixed another day…


	24. Those days begin

"_Be bloody, bold, and resolute._

_Laugh to scorn the power of man,_

_For none of woman born shall harm Macbeth."_

_**-The Second Apparition (Macbeth; Act IV; Scene I)**_

**When the Black Order Acknowledges Theater**

_Disclaimer: I don't own D.Gray-man…_

**CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: Macbeth (part eight) **

And they're back in the order…

"Fair is foul and foul is fair… Such an interesting concept wouldn't you say?" Lenalee says "Reminds me of the saying 'All's fair in love and war'."

"Isn't the best concept in the world is it…" Lavi says

"Well Macbeth is a depiction of a great evil, probably only so natural." Says Komui "To achieve his goals, Macbeth killed, and so his soul rapidly became corrupted throughout the play. I think this is one of Shakespeare's darkest plays."

"Hnh. Winning wars on earth may mean eternal damnation in the afterlife…" on that thought, Allen seems to muse

Everyone looks at Allen weirdly; Lavi laughs "Don't mind him… He seems to enjoy the idea of hell"

Kanda snorts, a smirk comes upon his face. Miranda pales, and Crowly is speechless, Komui just looks interested on why. Lenalee looks abashed and says "Allen! I… How… WHY?"

Allen waves his hands around "I don't enjoy the idea of hell! It's just that… Isn't it funny?"

"Just what kind of humor do you have bean?" curiously, Kanda is almost laughing

"Kanda!" and Allen is a different kind of angry

Lavi laughs and everyone else stares at him bewildered.

"All right, that's enough…" She glances at Lavi, showing him her, you-better-tell-me-about-it-later, look. "Let's move on?"

"Uhm… thinking about it… it is sort of humorous though…" Crowley chimes in "…better a peasant than a king?"

"Exactly!" Allen exclaims "The common men spend their lives wishing they were King, but it should be the King who wishes he was a common man!"

Kanda snorts, and Allen glares. Lenalee shoots Lavi that look again.

"I think Macbeth…" Kanda says "…and… Lady Macbeth, are both so pathetic."

"Next he'll say, Macduff, now there's a challenge!" Allen begins to laugh and Lavi joins him, Kanda shoots them a glare. Everyone else stares dumbfounded.

"Hail, King of Scotland!" Lavi and Allen say in unison, both of them still laughing their hearts out

"Tsch… morons…" Kanda's glare intensifies, his eyes narrow

"That's enough Lavi… Allen…" Lenalee says "Moving on."

………………………

_It's a beautiful aftermath. A hand draws patterns on the tattooed chest, sliding the index finger gently over the smooth skin, impossibly unblemished. The scene radiates of contentment._

"_Say, if I asked you about this tattoo again, would you get angry?" he suddenly asks_

"_Nnn… Probably…" eyes aren't even opened, grip around the other's waist tightens_

_A disappointed sigh "Well then who's your favorite Macbeth character?"_

_A snort "You're really getting into those plays aren't you?"_

"_I'd seen Macbeth before… In a theater…" he chuckles "I might be more into it than I should…" a grin "Didn't you say you quite like the play?"_

"_Nnn… I said that sort of shit?" a snort "How annoying…"_

_A laugh "Seriously though… Who's your favorite character?"_

"_Macduff" Not even a little bit of hesitation in the answer _

"_Macduff?"_

"_Yeah"_

"_Ok, __Why__?"_

_No answer._

"_Why__?"_

"_Tell me yours first."_

"_The Three Witches. Now tell me, __why__?"_

"_What have you got against Macduff?"_

"_Nothing, it's it was sort of surprising for me that you'd have a favorite in the play. An actual favaorite…"_

"_I've told you before, I don't have favorites, but if I had to choose whom I give favor to…"_

"_Right, right, I get it… So again,__ why__?"_

"_I…" hesitation "I… I'd like to fight him…"_

_Blink once. Blink Twice. Laugh your heart out._

…………………………_._

The meeting's over

"Hey wait I'm sorry!" but he's still laughing "Kanda!"

"I just knew I shouldn't have said anything." He looks back at Allen "Damn you for asking!" and he's storming away, just like that "Get the hell away form me! All of you!"

Allen just knows he's gonna get it later, but maybe a creative apology will help—

"You better tell me everything when I get back from my mission Lavi."

"Yes, yes, goodbye Lenalee. Bye Miranda."

"Don't forget!"

"Yeah, yeah!" Lavi stops abruptly when he see's Allen, he grins "Hey!"

"We had to have the meeting so soon because those two had a mission right?" Allen says

"Yeah I guess so…" says Lavi "Yuu's angry isn't he?" he looks sheepish

"Yeah" Allen says with a nervous laugh

"Well good luck to you then." Lavi says

"Uh… Excuse me?" Allen blushes, stutters

Lavi just grins his version of a knowing smile.

"You heard didn't you?"

"Of course I did."

………………………

"_Well that was different…"_

_Despite himself, Lavi wonders what they did for it to sound like that. Ok, it's not really what they did, it's __how__ they did it rather. Really, it takes no genius to know __what__ they did. And it was not like Lavi wanted to see the "event", it was l just that after hearing __that__, __anyone __would want __some__ details. __Some__ not __all__, __definitely__ not all. Befores and afters preferably, __not the while__, if you know what he means. Who would ask for the __while__? That's downright __voyeurism__ (or fangirl/boy-ism which can sometimes be almost the same thing)._

_Lavi grimaces at these thoughts_

'_Maybe it __is__ a good thing Timcampy isn't here…' Lavi thinks '…It's be crazy if people back at headquarters saw __that__…'. It'd have been one hell of a shocker. Lavi doesn't know how to tease Kanda about this. Allen would be an easier target. __Right__, Allen, the dominated one… Not that the fact as in any way surprising, Kanda would __never__ accept the bottom role. Feminine as he might look, he's __dominant__. _

_No real surprises there though_

_But now the real problem, what to say when Lenalee asks for details?_

……………………_.._

"Lavi" Allen face is dead serious "Don't tell anyone."

"Got it, won't tell anyone…." Lavi pauses "Except Lenalee, I promised to tell her."

"Oh this is all Kanda's fault…" Allen lets out an annoyed groan

"Yeah I heard that too…"

"What?!"

Lavi laughs.

"This is not funny Lavi…" Allen glares at him

"Oh sure, this isn't, but hell is apparently."

Allen narrows his eyes even more "Aside from Lenalee… no one else."

"You have my word." He grins

"Do I really?"

………………………..

"_Hey Lavi, Lavi! Guess What!" Allen's fully dressed in his exorcist's uniform. He running towards Lavi laughing madly. They're in the cafeteria of the hospital. Kanda looks absolutely pissed._

"_Huh? What?" Lavi half expects Allen to blurt out what the two of them did last night, but of course that wasn't it._

"_It's Kanda…" Allen manages to say through his unceasing laughter "He wants to… He wants to…"_

"_He wants to what?"_

"_Don't say it" Kanda says through gritted teeth, and he's glaring_

"_He wants to fight Macduff!" and Allen laughs even louder_

_It doesn't take long for Lavi to join him; he doesn't even need to ask why Allen found out. Because Lavi knows one fact that would explain such a thing completely…._

_The days of Kanda__ and__ Allen have begun_

………………………

(a/n: The update is too short. But I don't have much of an opinion on Macbeth anymore. It's so short. The other plays are so much longer compared to it. Sorry if this chapter isn't worth much. It's structured weirdly cause I sorta just put together all the things I wrote down on scratch papers… (ideas for this chapter) Anyway. "Antony and Cleopatra" is next. It will be the last arc. This fic will end with chapter thirty, thanks to all those who always review! Stick with me for the last arc if you will….)

As always, typos are to be fixed later….


	25. Affection in a Multitude

_**Cleopatra:**__ If it be love indeed, tell me how much._

_**Antony:**__ There's beggary in the love that can be reckoned._

_**Cleopatra:**__ I'll set a bourn how far to be beloved._

_**Antony:**__ Then must thou needs find out new heaven, new earth._

_**Antony and Cleopatra; Act I; Scene I **_

**When The Black Order Acknowledges Theater**

_Disclaimer: I do not own D.Gray-man…_

**CHAPTER FIVE: Antony and Cleopatra (part one) **_(Affection in a Multitude)_

The silence of the room broke when a prominent clattering sound emanated. Knowing what he'd see, Allen slowly peered over his copy of the play _'Antony and Cleopatra'_, cautiously taking a look the one who sat in front of him. Kanda's copy of _'Antony and Cleopatra'_ laid there on the table, but his hands were positioned in such a way that you'd think he was still holding it. His lips were pursed, his nose scrunched, his eyebrows knitting together furiously, he looked absolutely aghast. Which to Allen was no surprise, because Kanda expected a lot from Mark Antony, and the second line Antony utters was something Kanda was sure to regard as horrifying.

"I'm not reading this anymore…" and with that, Kanda slides the book away from him, crosses his arm, and reclines onto his chair.

"…Antony is rarely ever like that in the play." Allen closes his copy, sets it down, "I should know, I've read the whole thing. He still lives up to what you expected him to be."

"Who said it was because of Antony?" Kanda raised an eyebrow, face stoic

"You're Kanda…" Allen almost chuckled "…OF COURSE it's because of Antony."

"There's no logic in that statement" t'was said flatly

"Mark Antony is the greatest general and army man in all of Shakespeare's plays…. Or so Lavi says…. But I've heard that even in real life he was quite the warrior."

"Tsch… Octavius kicked his ass…" Kanda muttered

"But from what I've learned from Lavi, Octavius became Augustus, and as Augustus Caesar, he was an exceptional emperor…" Allen says "Great men fall only to the greatest men."

"Augustus was not all that great." Kanda asserts "Which makes Mark Antony lame."

"You're just disappointed, I'm sure you don't mean any of that… If you don't like that side of Antony, then you should be picking on Cleopatra…"

Kanda was silent, eyes narrowing, gaze slowly shifting towards the set aside copy of the play. "I might have only read the first page, but Antony seems to be submissive to that woman, which is why my sentiments of him are so bad…"

"Because he gives his woman favor?" Allen raises an eyebrow

"No. Because he lets someone make him say such pathetic things. Even if she was a man I'd feel the same. I don't even think Antony meant any of those as much as he should have. It was pathetic."

"All that from page one?" and this time Allen _did _chuckle "Don't judge the play just yet. I think you'll like it even" and Allen added a maybe in his thoughts. "Come on, you read 'Romeo and Juliet'."

"That was different."

"Because you had no expectations and there was not potentially good character like Mark Antony."

"No, because…" a stand still

"Ha! There's no excuse! Mark Antony is not a valid reason." Allen grabs Kanda's copy and sets it in front of him. "READ"

DOT.DOT.DOT.

…………………………..

"They used to say Mark Antony descended from Hercules." Lavi was scanning through his copy of _Antony and Cleopatra_ "Must be why it's like this…"

"They also used to say Cleopatra was the daughter of Isis…" Lenalee replied "… they seemed to like thinking their rulers were only so great because they were born to clans of gods and goddesses."

"Hnh. Maybe, or it was the rulers who instilled those beliefs. Superiority complex?"

Lenalee laughs "Might have been something like that. I wouldn't know, I'm not such an expert with History. Shouldn't you know?"

"History is never exact, the earliest records are often most questionable." Lavi sighs "What REALLY conspired in the months before Antony and Cleopatra's deaths are unclear."

"It's better like that. _'Antony and Cleopatra'_ is one of Shakespeare's greatest plays with some of the most unforgettable characters. If we all knew what really happened, this play would have not come to be."

"And we all just love their ever glorious deaths…" Lavi says with laugh

Lenalee laughs too. "Oh, right. Lavi, how goes the Yuullen log?"

"Horribly detailed, as you said, I wrote everything. AS YOU SAID."

Lenalee chuckles "Traumatized?"

"Yes" says Lavi "And you're to blame"

"Thank me if you will then" she continues to laugh "I can't believe we've finally succeeded. What did you do exactly?"

Lavi hesitates. "Well you know, this…and… uhm… that…"

"This and that?" Lenalee tilts her head to the side slightly, looking at Lavi quizzically

"Yeah… That and this… This and that…" and the bookman apprentice laughs awkwardly.

"You mean what by that exactly?" all Lenalee gets in reply is a shrug "…Lavi… just what did you do?"

Silence

"You didn't threaten them or anything did you?" Lenalee almost looks angry

"No" Lavi says

"Than what?" and she almost sounds frustrated

Lavi murmurs something.

"What was that?"

He murmurs it again.

"Oh speak up Lavi, I can't hear you."

Lavi sighs. "I said I kissed Allen"

Blink one. Blink Twice. "Eh?" Lenalee's eyes couldn't get any wider "You… what?"

"Kissed, flirted with, the like. Of course I kept annoying Kanda with questions about Allen too, but you get the picture. This and that." Lavi's gaze is at the door of the cafeteria "Speaking of which… here they come…"

……………………………

So they're walking into the Cafeteria, copies of the play in hand, and Kanda decides to pass in the center aisle. Allen then realizes that no one cares that they are for some reason suddenly such close "friends". Maybe they were assuming things because of the constant mission pair ups. Should he clear things up? Would Kanda mind? These things should need a lot of pondering. But it's definitely troublesome, when it's something so simple. To be nonchalant and open about it, or to be secretive and awkward, the choice was supposed to be simple. What would people think though? Well it didn't matter anyway. Allen would do what he wanted. So he grabs Kanda's arm and cuddles as they walk. The room is silent, _le gasp_.

"Tsch" is all Kanda says, and he sounds rather smug

"Flirting in the middle of the cafeteria…" says someone up front "…I didn't expect that from you uncle…" it's Akagi

"A-Akagi… m-maybe…" Miranda is with him "We should get a table…"

"How was the trip?" and Akagi is addressing them both, Allen and Kanda

"Fine" Kanda says flatly "Did you wet the bed while I was gone?"

Akagi snorts "Lavi's bed particularly"

"Props to you" Allen says with a laugh

"Tsch" but Kanda smirks as he says it

"You know what…" Allen looks at Miranda "…let's all sit over there… See… Where Lenalee and Lavi are…"

"No" Akagi says "We should leave them alone, let's go get a table Miranda" he begins to walk away

"Oh… right… yes…" and Miranda follows him the tray of their food in her hands

Allen blinks once, twice. "Wait for us! We'll be there soon!" he shouts

"Ha!" Akagi shouts "No you won't!" and he laughs, as he sits down with Miranda

"What? Yes we will!" Allen looks bewildered, but then he sees Kanda, who is looking at him with eyebrows raised. "Or you know… we WON'T." Allen thinks he should have known "You're more like Mark Antony than you'd think."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

…………………………………

Lavi gives out a low whistle "I didn't expect such a public display of their relationship. You can just FEEL the shock of this room."

"Shock, is a very appropriate word for this moment…" Lenalee says "…you actually had to go so far as to kiss him?"

"Sometimes you need a nudge, other times, you need a push." He says with a shrug "Things were getting bad, and I told you I'd take care of it."

Lenalee puts on a grim smile "That was taking care of it? What if it hadn't worked?"

Lavi shrugs "I'd have sex with him."

"WHAT?" she almost falls of her seat

"**Kidding of course**" Lavi says, suppressing a laugh "There is now what if anymore Lenalee, because it DID work, end of story."

"You make it sound like your plan was fool proof…" Lenalee's eyes are narrowing

"It was fool proof. Kanda's territorial by nature. He has an alpha male personality. He's DOMINANT."

"That isn't an assurance Lavi… How you know someone is not a measure, you could not know Kanda well enough. He might be more unpredictable than you think."

"Lenalee it's Kanda… you should know he's anything but unpredictable… Well… outside of the battlefield of course…"

Lenalee bites her lip.

"I didn't make it seem like I was SO serious about it, I just made it seem like something was there. Not enough t make an issue, but enough to give Kanda that push. It was totally fine. If that's what you were worried about it was totally fine."

"That's not it" Lenalee is still biting her lip "The ends still don't justify the means"

"Lenalee…" Lavi sighs "…I need to go… But I'll say this, I didn't do anything to make them think they were hurting me by getting together." He stands up, and beams at her "Don't worry about it… " he waves and begins to walk "See ya!"

Lenalee smiles weakly, and thinks, 'That's not it…'

…………………………….

"Five lunches says you're going to grow to favor Cleopatra." Allen says with a grin, Kanda slurps his soba, narrows his eyes and raises an eyebrow

"What?"

"Ok, ok, so you read 'Antony and Cleopatra', and if after finishing it you think, 'Oh wow, Cleopatra was brilliant', you buy me lunch in the town for five days, if you don't, I'm buying." Allen grins "Simple as that."

Kanda snorts "I'd never use that kinda phrasing… You've already lost."

"If you think anything like that it still counts." Allen says with an annoyed huff "If you even as much a lean a little bit to Cleopatra's favor, you lose."

"There's nothing in it for me… The free lunches don't tempt me… I can eat here…" Kanda snorts "It' still FREE."

"Oh come on…" Allen insists

"NO WAY"

Allen grunts in frustration "Just read the damn play!"

"He knows he'll lose the bet. That's why he isn't accepting." Kanda flinches, Akagi is behind him. Allen ends up smiling.

"Oh he does, does he?" Allen grins sheepishly "I guess that makes him a coward right, Akagi?"

"Right" the boy says flatly "He's afraid losing the bet will hurt his pride." Akagi snorts "Like it's that valuable to begin with."

A low whistle "Wow Akagi that's a pretty daring thing to say" he looks around "Where's Miranda?"

"I told her that I was going to stay with you guys, and that could she go her merry way" and Akagi takes a seat beside Kanda

"You did really?"

"Yes, but with much effort of course"

Allen laughs "Is that so."

"Would you both just SHUT UP" Kanda says through gritted teeth

"**Oh**" the two speak in unison, and they grin "The coward speaks."

"Fine" Kanda says "FINE, I'll take the damn bet. I'll read the damn play. Just shut up."

"Now that's more like it dear…" Allen smiles

"Oh, pet names?" asks Akagi

"Thought of it just now…" Allen's look is sheepish "Ain't that right darling?"

Kanda rolls his eyes, and Akagi laughs hysterically.

"Tsch, do what you want" and Kanda goes back to his beloved soba

"Oh I get it, in the day Allen gets to do what HE wants, and uncle gets to do what HE wants a night."

Kanda chokes on his soba and Allen turns beet red "AKAGI!"

"What?"

………………………………

(a/n: haha! So lol. It's still not so long, but it's just the start of the _Antony and Cleopatra_ part of the story anyway. So basically this gives you an idea of how the last part of this fic's going to be like. It's sort of like a settling down part, because as I've said in the previous a/n, this fanfic will come to a close at chapter 30. Anyway I hope you guys still enjoy this story. Just had our finals last week, and I have to take another major college entrance exam this Sunday. Lol. Ok in other words this update was now or never (not really never, but you get me). Hahaha! Ok so that's all, down with my incessant babbling.)

Typos will be fixed on the day when I turn out to you know, NOT be lazy


	26. We Wouldn't Know

"_Let not the piece of virtue which is set_

_Betwixt us, as the cement of our love_

_To keep it builded, be the ram to batter_

_The fortress of it. For better might we_

_Have loved without this mean, if on both parts_

_This not be cherished."_

_**-Octavius Ceasar; Act III; Scene II**_

****

When the Black Order Acknowledges Theater

_Disclaimer: I don't own -man…  
_

**CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: Antony and Cleopatra (part two)** _(We wouldn't know)_

There is a loud banging on Lavi's door. "What the hell have you been putting into my nephew's mind you damn bunny!" was the furious yell. And you could also hear the "Lavi! I can't believe you said such things to Akagi!" with it. Along with loud murmurs of "Wasn't he on the mission with you?". Of course, even without these voices, it would be plainly obvious to Lavi who the hell it was banging on his door, because no one else ever banged at his door so furiously, usually it was a frantic banging. This one was… how do you say... irate? .Kanda.

"Calm down you two. It's as if you don't remember any of the outrageous things I did during our mission..." Lavi opens the door, Kanda's arm is raised up to bang the door and Allen's is raised up to knock. Lavi raises an eyebrow and laughs at their silence "How could I have possibly taught him those things in my own absence?"

"You're a rabbit, that's how." Kanda says through gritted teeth

Lavi's eyebrow doesn't go down, he smirks and says "That's just silly Yuu, what particular trait of a rabbit would have helped me do that?"

Allen is just slapping his beet red face, muttering curses. Kanda rolls his eyes and replies "Rabbits are stupid, that's what."

"Right... I don't see how that would have helped me..." Lavi suppresses a laugh

"Don't worry about them Lavi, they just don't want to think I figured it out myself so they blame you."Akagi says with a snort "As if things aren't obvious..."

"As if things aren't OBVIOUS..."Lavi repeats and he glances at Allen

And this time there is no word of disagreement from Kanda, they all look at Allen. "What the hell! You're turning against me?" and he's looking at Kanda, expression appalled.

"Well..." Kanda says "...You ARE usually loud..."

Allen takes blushing to a whole new level "W-Well... That's YOUR fault!"

Kanda shrugs, Akagi snorts, and Lavi is laughing hysterically. "You know what's funny?" Lavi's holding his stomach, he almost can't breath from the laughter, it's a miracle he's even speaking

"What?" and although Allen IS annoyed, it's Kanda who seems to be MOST annoyed at this.

"Well..." Lavi continues to laugh "That Allen's usually loud is BRAND NEW INFORMATION to me..." and he laughs hysterically

Kanda and Allen stare dumbfounded, both looking irked. "Thing is, I think he was referring to your public display of affection back at the cafeteria." says Akagi "But I though he of all people would know that you're loud Allen." and then he faces the pair, grin on his face.

The two grit their teeth, one turns lightly pink and the other a deep, deep beet red. Curses are muttered, and Lavi might have to get another eye patch.

…………………………….

_When they're alone, in a quiet place, conversation actually makes sense. Neither of them ever end up shouting, they certainly fair better in solitude. Their favorite place is probably that corner in the library._

"_You talk in you sleep sometimes" Kanda flinches at that statement, but his eyes don't leave his book_

"_You've heard me?" and Kanda tries to sound unconcerned "…what did I say?"_

"_Well… Actually… it's what Akagi tells me" Allen is fiddling with a pen "But I've been trying to hear…"_

"_Don't waste you time…" Kanda says "I don't usually dream… The boy was just lucky…"_

"_Hmmm…." Allen looks interested "But when you DO dream, what is it about?"_

"…_hnh… there's rarely ever a recurring topic…" and he flips another page of his book_

"…_Ok… What was your last dream about?" Allen smiles hopefully, Kanda usually got annoyed at this point_

_The swordsman stilled "…my last dream?"_

_To this Allen raised an eyebrow "Hmm… I've stumbled upon something interesting haven't I?"_

"_Not… really…" says Kanda "But it was a dream which I really didn't how to make out…But it was a relatively dull dream…"_

"_But you thought your answer over…" Allen sports a Cheshire cat smile "…something's up"_

"_There you go again, putting your nose into other people's business…" Kanda sighs "…as mundane as the dream was, I like to keep the events in my sub-consciousness private…"_

"_I don't think I ever heard you talk so much just to keep something secret…" the smile retains "…something is REALLY up."_

…………………………_.._

"Luckily…" Lavi says "They only managed to hit my cheek" he laughs "But they seemed content about it, I'm safe…. For now I guess"

Lenalee gives him ice for his swollen right cheek. "What happened anyway?"

"Well, I found out that Allen's usually loud, and I laughed about it." Lavi winces as he presses the ice pack onto his cheek

"You laughed?" Lenalee raises an eyebrow

"They thought I was referring to THAT when I said Allen was being obvious about their relationship" he laughs "You should have SEEN Yuu's face"

"It's weird that you can find Kanda's irked face hilarious…" Lenalee laughs

"It's weird that I'm the only one who does, Yuu's hilarious when he falters!" and they both laugh

There's a moment of silence.

"So… what do you think of Antony and Cleopatra so far?"

"Huh?" Lavi looks thoughtful "Well I haven't really thought about it too much yet… But it's definitely funnier than any of the other plays we've read, the comedies included…"

"I think Cleopatra's ramblings are really amusing… She's quite the character"

Lavi laughs "Much like you"

"Ah…" says Lenalee "You think so?" a nod "Thanks!" and they both laugh

"Marc Antony's kinda rash isn't he…" Lavi says "I'm sure Yuu's disappointed…"

"Oh I've heard from Allen…" and she looks amused "… Kanda looked horrified after he read Marc Antony's first two lines…" she laughs "We can all assume that he was thoroughly disappointed there and then… But Allen's still trying to force him to read it…"

Lavi shakes his head laughing "Well Yuu will always be Yuu… Good luck to Allen…"

"I don't think Marc Antony was at all bad though, he's not as grand a character as Cleopatra, but he has this air of superiority… He's definitely better than all the other Shakespearean army men… he might be the greatest even…" it's obvious she thinks highly of the character

"Well… Even in history books, Marc Antony was a great man…" says Lavi

"Much like you" Lenalee says with a smile

Lavi laughs "No way like me"

……………………………

"_Do what you like, I'm still not telling you what the dream was about…" says Kanda_

"…_and why not?" Allen's voice is demanding "It could be an important dream, sometimes dreams tell the future…"_

"_What a horrible future that dream showed then." Kanda tone was annoyed but his eyes haven't left his book_

"_Well not all dreams are good, I've had horrible dreams myself. My master giving me more bills to pay, Jerry loosing the ability to cook, my master hitting me with a giant mallet, the cafeteria being destroyed—"_

"_Ok in short all of your dreams can only be about two things?" Kanda snapped, he closes his book rather loudly, and his eyes are on Allen_

"_NO" Allen looks utterly insulted "I dream about other things too… In fact in my last dream—" Allen cuts himself short with a gasp "…i—in my last dream… I… uhm…"_

_Kanda looks like he's almost laughing "In you last dream?"_

"_Well it was about you…" Allen said bluntly_

_Kanda looked even more amused "Really? What kind of dream was it?"_

"_Not THAT kinda dream!" Allen exclaimed "Pervert…" he added under his breath_

"_Well then what kind of dream?"_

"_You kind of…. Uhm…" Allen looked away "…died…not of old age too…"_

_Kanda suddenly looked stoic "Hnh… and what was your part in the dream…"_

"_I cried…" Allen said, turning a bit pink_

"_When was that? When did you have the dream…" Kanda's gaze is intense, uncanny for him_

"_A few days after our mission in Romania…" Allen looks surprised at Kanda's sudden change of mood but then…_

_Kanda snorts "Romania huh… That explains a lot…"_

_Allen pouts "And what does that mean?"_

"_Hnh…" he snorts again, but his expression shifts to melancholic "…your dream might not be so farfetched…"_

……………………………

With a loud thunk, a copy of the play 'Antony and Cleopatra' was placed in front of the ever violent Japanese exorcist. "READ" and Allen Walker's command was firm, and it resonated across the library. Kanda Yuu rolls his eyes.

"You see, he's still trying…" Lenalee whispers to Lavi, and the bookman apprentice chuckles.

……………………………

**(a/n:** I know, I know, the chapter's short. But I actually just want this to end at the thirtieth part exactly… so I want to reserve some of the events for later chapters… I've been having a writers block lately… but the reason why I haven't updated in a while isn't that, rather, two weeks ago, I celebrated my birthday, and the week after that I got sick D: …. Anyway… It's almost over… bear with me xD)


	27. The Present is Most Difficult

_**Cleopatra:**__ Lord of Lords!  
O infinite virtue! Com'st though smiling from  
The world's greatest snare uncaught?_

_**Antony:**__ My nightingale,  
We have beat them to their beds._

_**-'Antony and Cleopatra'; Act IV; Scene VIII**_

**When the Black Order Acknowledges Theater**

_Disclaimer: I don't own -Man…_

**  
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: Antony and Cleopatra (part three) **_(The Present is Most Difficult)_

"_I haven't seen Kanda in days"_

When Lavi needed help with returning his many borrowed (over-due) books to the Order's library Allen did not hesitate to lend a hand

"_Not that we fought or anything… just that…"_

The book is placed on the shelf, Allen carefully climbs down the ladder

"…_he's on another mission… sounded like he wouldn't be back for a while…"_

THUD, "Oops…" a book falls from his hands, the pages are flipped open

"_It's not that I don't have any faith in Kanda's abilities, I mean who doesn't…but…"_

Allen carefully picks it up, "Hamlet…" he says "…this doesn't belong here…" he scans the words and smiles with melancholy

"…_but I have the right to feel uneasy don't I?"_

"To be or not to be…" a deep breath "… indeed… that is the question…" Allen tucks the copy of Hamlet away to return to Lavi later

"… _Somehow… it feels like he isn't telling me something that's __**very**__ important…"_

"Hnh… now… where should this go…." He mutters to himself, and he stares at the copy of 'Paradise Lost' as he thinks

"_Lenalee says, the most important thing in maintaining any relationship, is good communication. But with Kanda I'm at a loss… He doesn't… he doesn't really… DO communication…"_

"Right… it should go here then…" Allen stands on his tip-toes to reach

"… _We talk… but it's not as if we whisper sweet nothings into each other's ears like normal lovers do… usual we talk only about the most trivial things… But..."_

"I know…" he mumbles as he strides down an aisle

"_I know about his… curse… Komui told me about that when we were in Romania… on the phone… but… I want HIM to tell me too… I don't care if he thinks my reasons are silly…"_

"Allen!" to Lavi's voice, Allen turns

"_But to me this is important…"_

"You done yet?" Lavi breathes, he seems to have been running

"Just about…" he replies, a soft smile on his face

"_I have a feeling something bad is going to happen… thankfully, I have horrible premonition…"_

"Oh right…" Allen hands out a book to Lavi "Your copy of Hamlet… Lenalee would have killed you…" he grins

"Thanks…" Lavi says grinning back "…she really might have…" Lavi looks at the books Allen has at hand "…which one are left?"

"Uhm… something that appears to be a biography of Elizabeth I… Frankenstein by Mary Shelly… A Compilation of some of Alexander Pope's works… and…" Allen pauses "err…. I can't read the title…"

"Das Nibelungenlied" Lavi says "…. Wouldn't blame you if you couldn't read it... German epics tend to have really hard to pronounce names…."

"I see…" he chuckles lightly

"…_It would be a real bummer, if this is the one time my premonition is right."_

"I'll help you, gimme two…" says Lavi

"Oh… right then... thanks"and Allen hands Lavi 'Frankenstein' and 'Das Nibelungenlied'

"… _no… not just a bummer… it would be a complete disaster."_

"I should be the one thanking you Allen… I don't know how long it would have taken me if I had been doing this on my own…"

"No… it's fine… I…" Allen smiles "…I needed a distraction anyway…"

Lavi pats him on the back "After this… let's eat, my treat…"

Allen raises an eyebrow "…Your going to take me to the cafeteria aren't you…"

"Best things in life are free" Lavi says with a smirk and a shrug

"_It would be the end of my world as we know it…"_

…………………………….

"…so you want my advice?" Akagi says, and Lenalee fidgets uncomfortably on her seat

A nervous laugh "It's not… advice… in a technical sense… rather… in a… I mean… speaking in a hypothetical sense… what would you do?…"

"Well… Nothing… honestly there's nothing to fret about… If that was me I'd figure out sooner or later that I'm just paranoid, and that other person doesn't like someone else." Akagi grins "You might say that in a hypothetical sense, that person might like me… if it was me…"

"You… you really think so?" Lenalee makes sure she doesn't sound too hopeful "Well… maybe that would be the case if ever it happened…" she should be applauded for sounding that confident

Akagi applauds.

Lenalee looks puzzled.

"Nevermind" says Akagi

"Anyways… there's no way I'd found out for sure… it was all just hypothetically speaking…"

"Hmm… I see…"

"Is that suppose to mean anything?" she narrows her eyes

"I dunno… do you WANT it to mean anything?"

"Honestly no…"

"If you say so…" and Akagi shrugs

Lenalee's eyes narrow even more.

"Oh right… now I have a question" and Akagi smiles as if he were an innocent young boy. AS IF he were an innocent young boy.

"About?" helps to be cautious around Akagi sometimes

"Antony and Cleopatra."

"Oh, ok then, what is it?" Lenalee smiles a sisterly smile

"Are they really in love? Cleopatra and Marc Antony I mean…" he mutters

"In my opinion, they are."

"But the fact that they are never bored with each other can easy be mistaken for them being in love…" he tilts his head to the side, looking uninterested, though his air exudes curiosity

"True… but Cleopatra was devastated when Marc Antony died, she knew she would not be able to bear life any longer…"

"…but… wasn't it more like… she knew EGYPT was at its end with Marc Antony's death?"

"… indeed if you look at her past personality that is a valid presumption… But I believe what Cleopatra had with Marc Antony was real…" that Lenalee is doubtful with her words is slightly obvious

"But how do we know that for sure?" Akagi's expression and tone are both emotionless "What defines the line between affinity and love?"

And naturally, Lenalee could not answer such a question. "A child like you shouldn't ask questions like that Akagi…"

"Then who should be asking such questions?"

Anyone would have been speechless…

……………………………..

"WHAT? You're actually thinking about talking to him about Sarah?" Lavi is visibly surprised

"Well… I guess… I was thinking if I want him to open up to me… maybe I should tell him some of my … worst… secrets…" but Allen is strangely unsure of himself

The bookman apprentice takes a few seconds to stare at him, then chuckles heartily "It seems like only yesterday…" he puts arm around Allen's neck, pulls him close and points to the ceiling, pretending to spell out some words he says " 'Kanda will kill me for knowing these things'… is what you said…"

"Well… things have changed, the probability of him NOT killing me has increased and…" he sighs "… It's best to take my chances now, when there isn't much at risk yet on both our parts…"

"You'd think…" Lavi lets him go and puts his hands into his pockets "… you two have been beating around the bush for SO long…"

"Have we now?" Allen sniggers "Then we were the last ones to know…"

"Indeed you were…" a grin "…you are both INCREDIBLY dense…" he pauses "…err… at least… When it comes to each other…"

"Do hope that's not the case anymore…" and there is a long, long sigh

"Well, what if Yuu doesn't want to talk about it, what'd you do then?"

A shrug "I'll know when it happens… but here's hoping he'll be a good boyfriend, and tell me even if he isn't entirely willing…"

Lavi snorts "Pfft… BOYFRIEND…"

Allen blushes "Well there's nothing ELSE to call him is there?"

"What about lover?" nothing could have wiped on the cheeky grin on his face

Eyes narrow "…lover is too…."

"Too accurate? Come on, I know what goes on when the sun goes down and when the bedroom doors slam shut…"

"…Lavi…" and he's beet red

"You're just too easy to tease" he laughs "I would NEVER be able to tease Yuu about this…"

"Never is such a weak word… He'd be proud of it even… "Allen purses his lips

"Probably cause he's the dominant one…" and he grins

"Ugh… Can we not talk about our sex life?" he looks slightly annoyed "… What goes on when it's only the two of us, is OUR business…"

Lavi laughs "Guess it is… Sorry, just can't help myself… Sort of comes with being a bookman…"

Allen raises an eyebrow "Really now?"

"…Err… Sort of… In my case at least…" and they both laugh

…………………………...

"I'm on my way back…" Kanda says, he's on the phone with Komui

Komui sound slightly surprised "…I thought you were still injured?"

"It's not that bad, just a few scratches…" and the swordsman sounds annoyed somewhat

"You define scratches differently from most people Kanda…" Komui sighs "… Allen will not be pleased…"

Kanda is silent, clearly contemplating on how Komui knew about the bean and him.

Komui, as if sensing this through the telephone said "Lenalee"

And of course, Kanda didn't need any explaining after that "I'll be back in a day or two" before he can hang up Komui speaks

"… You're overestimating it Kanda…" says Komui "…there WILL be people who'd mourn for you…"

"…I know that" and it is then that Kanda hangs up

…………………………

(a/n: And after so long here's the new (short) chapter… Sorry if it took so LONG. I might not finish it by the year's end… I hope I do though… I've been having a serious lack of inspiration… Anyone have some good Yuullen fics to recommend? I already edited this chapter… But if you spot some errors please tell me, haha, I'm sort of tired right now, I might have missed something… anyway, I might post the next chapter on Christmas Eve/Day… Thanks for all the reviews (and for reading!)! I appreciate it very much…)


	28. The Pledge

"_Eternity was in our lips and eyes,__  
__Bliss in our brows' bent; none our parts so poor__  
__But was a race of heaven."_

_**-Cleopatra (Antony and Cleopatra; Act I; Scene III)  
**_

**When the Black Order Acknowledges Theater**

_Disclaimer: I hereby disclaim all ownership of -man and its characters 8D_

**CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: Antony and Cleopatra (part four) **_(The Pledge)_

_**Allen Walker**_

_Everybody makes promises. We make promises with people every day, usually it's because of some sort of emotional attachment we have with them. Usually we make promises to our friends and family, but the nature of these promises are often simple, nothing to drastic. These little promises, we are often COMPELLED to fulfil. Be it for selfish deliverance or the nearly impossible selflessness, we feel that we must, if only a little fulfil our promises. It might be because promises to family and friends are usually easy to accomplish. They aren't a hassle to do._

_The hardest promises are the promises we make with lovers. The highest of all being that of marriage. "Til Death do we part". I myself am not ready for such promises, I don't like making promises I'm not sure I can fulfil. Its scary how permanent promises between lovers feels like. The words 'I love you' by themselves is a promise. To pronounce love is to announce loyalty, partiality, and even eternal affinity. Promises to a "lover" tend to be sensitive, difficult to fully comprehend, even a promise that is so simple when made with a friend, can become complicated when made with a lover. This is perhaps why I am afraid._

_What do I do now that I am FORCED to somehow make these promises? It is true, that I have not been with him as a lover for so long, but to have been beating around the bush for so long... to have, in his words, been in denial for such an extended period of time, you'd think that we'd have said the words "I love you" already. Are we stalling? Do we both unconsciously NOT want to make any promises? Do we both unconsciously know it's not going to work? Do we both unconsciously know that this can only end bad? Was this a mistake?_

_Of course it wasn't. It's anything but that. But what it is exactly I don't know... Maybe it is simply what it is, a relationship. Something so common in the world, something that should be SO mundane, but once you're actually IN one, when you FEEL the essence of being in one, you realize that you're mistaken, it is ANYTHING but mundane. Relationships is what keeps most people ticking, no man is an island. Just goes to show how co-dependent this planet is._

_The world revolves around relationships._

_............................_

"Welcome home" Kanda Yuu's eyes can't help but widen in surprise, as his beloved bean-sprout greets him at the entrance of the Order with a sad smile on his face and a copy of _'Antony and Cleopatra' _at hand.

"Coincidence" says Walker with a shrug "I was just passing bye. See you later then!" the words 'we need to talk' doesn't make it out of his mouth despite him wanting them too, he attempts to leave

"We need to talk" grasping Allen Walker's wrist, Kanda Yuu whispers

The cursed boy's eyes widen, his inner self sighing in relief, he only nods in reply, and with a smile that says farewell, leaves.

...........................

_**Kanda Yuu**_

_When you chose to just stop thinking about what something is, and give up on making sense of one thing, you will find that this choice leads to many other things becoming illogical. I guess life's like that. There are just some things that are only bothersome when you think about it, but when you stop thinking about it everything else begins to feel bothersome. Stopping efforts to make sense after all, is a passing form one world to another._

_There is the feeling of fear and anxiety, and how one strangely feels these things whenever they think of anyone they "love" and then there's the overflowing pleasure and happiness. The rapture felt upon the thought and presence of a loved one. None of that makes any sense, that fact that it's not SUPPOSED to make sense is even more illogical. Complete logical satisfaction may indeed be beyond this life. No, it IS beyond this life, that I know. The question is what do I do given that information. Do I pursue life unthinkingly? That wouldn't be like me. People might even say it would be the end of the world as we know it. The key is probably to concretely differentiate the moments in which thought is needed and the moments where it is not._

_Moments with Allen Walker definitely fall under the latter. I am at a loss on what to say and do around him. I just let everything happen when it happens. The unfamiliar doors to the world of spurs of the moment have been opened for me, and unknown realms of intense satisfaction have been breached. But there's something missing. I've been thinking about how maybe there's something I'm not doing that I'm supposed to do... But I have no idea what it might be..._

_In the end it's still the bean-sprout's choice. He will either TELL me or pretend like there is no void in this relationship. Either decision is fine on my part. But I can't think thinking of what would happen if he chose to do something else, like break the entire relationship thing of. I have no idea how I would react. I usually don't know my own reactions till I actually feel them. I wonder if "rejection" is as "heartbreaking" as they say. It might be. I wouldn't know, I was always the one rejecting._

_Or if ever I did get rejected, I probably chose not to get affected. But I don't know if that's the same case now. We'll all see eventually. For now I want to put Walker on the spot, where he HAS to make a decision about this quick. It's selfish of me, but I'm getting impatient. This will be a turning point. After all..._

_The world revolves around choices._

_............................._

Hours later, they are finally alone. "What is it you wanted to talk about?" asks Allen, and his fingers are slightly twitching

"Actually..." Kanda began "... You looked like YOU needed a talk so... I..." now this, to Kanda Yuu was EMBARASSING

Concern, not something Allen was used to, at least, in this particular case, because it's Kanda, it makes him feel good, it makes him feel... awkward. "Well I..."

"If..." Kanda looks away, lifts his bangs with a hand, clenches his fist "...If you want to say something say it, I'm listening" tone was harsh, expression irked, this was Kanda in a good mood

It is not as if Allen Walker had not thought about what to say when this moment came "I want you to make me a promise..." he mutters "I... I'd like you to tell me that... you won't die before I do... That you'll spare me from feeling grief as I've felt it before, when I lost Mana."

Kanda Yuu stares, listens.

"I want you to promise me that each journey can only end with our reunion, that every union won't be the last without both of us knowing it so, that we will be able to say goodbye when the time comes..."

Allen waits for an answer, he can honestly go on forever, but he wants an answer. Kanda Yuu stares at him, blinks, contemplates, sighs, and then says "You..." a pause, perhaps for dramatic effect "... have been reading WAY too much Shakespeare."

"KANDA!" and though part of him wanted to laugh Allen chose to be angry

Another sigh "I can't promise you that I'll always be coming....home..." says Kanda, and he does not meet Allen's eyes

Allen looks at the floor, as he had expected this much. Kanda's circumstances were even more extraordinary than a standard Black Order Exorcist (if there was such a thing as a standard one).

"But... Will..." Kanda grunts "...This is my promise" Kanda leans forward and kisses him, hands running through the snow coloured hair, Allen Walker wraps his arms around Kanda's neck. A thump, the creak of the bed springs, the beginning of a long, long promise.

..................................

(a/n: **HAPPY ANNIVERSAY TO "When the Black Order Acknowledges Theater"! **I can't believe it's been a year already... Well it's almost over. Just two more chapters... and as for this one, let's just say this is what you get when you read too much Chick books AND "Crime and Punishment" at the same time. It has nothing to do with the play even! Well not directly, of course I wanted to make them feel like Antony and Cleopatra as a couple in this chapter but... and Lavi and Lenalee are nowhere in sight! Well the next chapter will probably be long. Probably. Seriously, why is my writing style so inconsistent... sigh... I was wondering if I even really had a plot, haha! Oh well this fic has its moments. By the way guys, I've started my newest Yuullen fic already in case your even interested, and despite what it might seem like it's even more of a thinker than this fic, even I get confused, haha! Check out "The Last Space" if you want, I'll start updating that again soon along with this one)

If there are any typos, I'll reread this and correct the someday 8D

(sorry to all I'm pretty hyper today, it's the stress, it does that to me, defence mechanism, never mind)


	29. Anticipation

"_I am fire and air; my other elements__  
__I give to baser life.__"_

_**-Cleopatra (Antony & Cleopatra; Act V; Scene II)**_

**When the Black Order Acknowledges Theater**

_Disclaimer: I do not own DGM, that's a given (unfortunately)_

**CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE: Antony and Cleopatra (part five) **_(Anticipation)_

"_...I wonder how you're absolutely sure that I won't kill you..." says Kanda Yuu "...You see I have a feeling you'll stab me in the back someday..." and he meant that in the most literal sense_

"_You'll be dead before I get strong enough to physically overpower you" Akagi says bluntly "...Besides, you won't really waste your time killing children out of paranoia will you?"_

_Kanda stares at the boy, scrutinizing him "...You're telling me you have no desire to take revenge whatsoever? I killed your father" a silence ensues between the two_

"_You know the answer to that more than anyone..." Akagi says matter-of-factly, "...tell me, why did you kill father?"_

_Kanda hesitates, tries not to show it, and decides to answer plainly "...revenge..."_

_Akagi smirks "...Even though he's your brother?"_

"_So what if he's my brother, that has nothing to do with anything..." he tries his best not to scowl_

"_...You regretted it eventually didn't you?" Akagi sported a cheeky grin "That's why you took me in after all, despite all those crazy doubts of yours, that's why I'm sure you won't kill me..."he shrugs "...you're simply done with that phase of your life...Revenge? All that was your petty cruelty as a child...You're not cold-blooded at all uncle..."_

_Kanda recalls the day when revenge had been so sweet, the thought of how he enjoyed killing his brother disgusted him "You still didn't answer my question..."_

"_I wouldn't think revenge, perhaps I have that same immature cruelty you used to have..." Akagi laughs like a boy who'd just made a silly joke, an image of innocence despite his mindset_

_Kanda can't help but snort "You sure don't sound like a child..."_

"_Akagi! Kanda!" Cheerfully Allen shouts as he enters the room "Let's go eat!" he says, beaming_

_He may not seem like it, but Kanda's startled "Uh... Sure..." he looks at Akagi, the boy grins at him, it's unsettling, because there's sure to be some hidden meaning behind that_

_Kanda stands up, Allen has already left to 'lead the way'. "Innately, people have neither worth nor responsibility..." to the sound of Akagi's voice, Kanda's eyes widen, he looks at the boy, his shocked expression retaining "...It's our own choice if we will base where our affections lie on society's norms..."_

_Silence, Kanda eyes slowly narrow down, Allen's voice echoes across the hall outside, they're being called. "You..." Kanda turns his head away and begins walking out "...really don't sound like a child..."_

_Akagi laughs, Kanda isn't surprised this time. _

............................

"_Did you and Kanda have a fight?" Allen asks, concern in his voice_

_Akagi tilts his head to one side "Hmm... How would you define 'fight' exactly?"_

_Allen narrows his eyes "...Akagi..."_

"_Well, this 'fight' is a little one sided don't you think?" Akagi giggles, times like this, Allen remembers he's actually, in the end, a child_

"_I know it doesn't take much to piss that guy off..." Allen said, knowing it firsthand "...But what did you do?" _

"_Ah... Well I think it's the fact that I'm not doing anything that's pissing him off... He doesn't quite understand why I wouldn't take action..."_

"_Take action?" Allen asked, his facial expression saying 'what do you mean by that?'_

"_Well he doesn't understand why I wouldn't want to take revenge..." Akagi pauses "...or maybe he's denying it, and already understands, either way, the situation stands..."_

"_...Revenge? What for?" somehow Allen has a bad feeling about this_

"_Oh well..." Akagi scratches the back of his head "...He kind of... killed my dad..."_

_Allen blinks "Your dad... his brother... Kanda killed his brother?"_

"_Well..." Akagi seems a bit surprised by the blank stare "...Yeah, he did..."_

"_That doesn't... sound like Kanda..." Allen laughs nervously_

"_Well not anymore... He used to be such a prick..." Akagi said "...or so I've heard... He changed after becoming an exorcist though.... or... so I've heard..."_

"_...Where do you hear these things from?"_

"_Lenalee" Akagi says plainly "...and Lavi... a little bit of both"_

_Allen then quickly makes a mental note to self, ask Lavi about Kanda killing his brother._

_...................................._

"_For what it's worth, I regretted it eventually..." Kanda said, voice completely nonchalant_

"_You killed his father Kanda... I know it's none of my business, but could you try to put more effort in being nice to the boy..." Allen managed to say despite the fact that he was eating, and well all know how that goes about_

"_You're starting to annoy me..." Kanda bangs his tea cup on the table and stands up. "...I'll be sleeping in my room" when he begins to walk away, Allen doesn't stop him_

_Once the swordsman is considerably far from him, he sighs, and turns back to his food. "Having a bit of a fight with Yuu?" it's Lavi's voice, more inquisitive than anything_

"_Not really... He just hates it when I 'nag' him..." Allen is sure he's pouting, but frankly he doesn't care at the moment_

_A low whistle from Lavi "Wow, you haven't nagged him in a while, what's the deal..."_

"_Ah well... I kinda found out about his brother..." Allen sipped his drink nervously_

"_Yuu actually told you?" Lavi's eyes widened_

"_No...It was... It was Akagi actually..." for some reason, Allen finds himself laughing nervously_

"_Oh..." Lavi seems unafazed "...That boy doesn't seem to care really, it's weird, but I kinda expected as much from him..."_

"_I don't think he's ever met his dad... His level of maturity is also abnormally high so... Maybe he does genuinely not care..." He sounds like he's trying to convince himself though_

"_I thought Kanda told you... Kind of surprised he didn't... Then again... He never did tell anyone..." Lavi sounds like he's just thinking out loud "...Though there WAS that one person he accidentally told..."_

"_One person?" Allen made sure that it sounded like he was asking for a name_

"_Yeah, Sarah Evington..." Lavi said "...He must have really liked that girl..."_

_Allen holds tightly onto glass of water, and then he drinks swiftly, awkwardly. _

"_Ah... Sorry..." rare does the bookman apprentice become conscious at times like this "The Club meeting's tomorrow morning, see you there!" and with that, he hurriedly gets up and leaves. Allen says a faint goodbye then proceeds back to his meal._

_...................................._

And so it was, that on that following morning, the meeting ensued

"Marc Antony was disappointing" Kanda said flatly, and it then became apparent that it was all he had to say. Allen shakes his head and sighs, Akagi and Lavi laugh.

"Surprisingly I agree with you there Kanda..." Lenalee said "...he was irrational, rallied on emotions more often than on reason, his glorious days were evidently over"

"Oh man..." Lavi's laughing "What about the part when he tries to commit suicide! It was hilarious!"

Kanda grits his teeth "It was pathetic..."

"Ah, but I've always thought of Antony as one of the better army men in most of Shakespeare's works..." Crowley comments

Komui shakes his head "Does not change the fact, however, that Cleopatra completely outshines him in this play..."

"It felt almost as if he was at the losing end and Cleopatra was at the winning one...." Miranda said meekly

"Neither of them were at the losing end I think..." said Allen "...at least that's what they believe themselves, they both died 'honorable' deaths they say"

"Yeah I get ya..." says Lavi "...They both thought that Octavius may have won, but not against them"

"I don't appreciate that Octavius and his Roman posse, they blame Antony's downfall solely on Cleopatra, calling her a whore..." Lenalee looks genuinely irked

"It was only partly her fault..." Kanda's voice surprised everyone "... Marc Antony was just too damn weak, he should have understood that sex and politics are two different things"

Someone sniggers, it turns out to be Akagi "Love and war aren't so different though..."

"Reason an emotion are polar opposites however, not very good for someone like Marc Antony if you ask me, look how he turned out... Dead by his own hand, couldn't take the shame" the retort was snappy, almost irritated, but Kanda looked smug

It is the first time, that anyone has ever made Akagi recoil, behold the power of Kanda Yuu. A loud bang echoes across the room, Akagi just hit a wall with his fist. He seems to be glaring in everyone's general direction, how it's possible nobody knows. "Let's just proceed" Allen says, voice strained "Please"

Instantly, Kanda begins to look more subdued, and Akagi resumes a bored demeanour. Lenalee decides to be the one to continue. "Uhm...As... As I was saying, female sexuality was so put down in this play, quite... irksome really..."

"I do agree that it was displeasing, however, perhaps the women of today are really that much more liberal than the women of then?" says Miranda, a little uncertain

"Maybe..." Lenalee's nodding; she's looking more motivated to continue because of Miranda's statement. Although she can't but be shaken by Allen's previous outburst, she glances at Lavi, he doesn't glance back. That's been happening a lot lately.......

.......................................

"_Who was Sarah Evington to you exactly?" somehow Kanda isn't surprised that Allen would ask him such a question, he also doesn't find it surprising that he KNOWS Sarah Evington, who knows what other things the bean has gone about finding out._

"_None of your business" Kanda replies, almost coldly_

"_I'm tired of hearing that..." Allen mumbles, audibly, but just for the two of them to hear_

_Kanda doesn't answer at first, considers something "I thought you understood how I—"_

"_I don't have much questions, I don't think I ever will, just answer the question, who was that girl to you?" _

_Kanda stares at him "She was just another girl, no one special"_

"_I don't think that's the case" a firm contention_

"_If only one answer is going to satisfy you, why do you even bother asking the question?" is the irritable reply_

"_I want to hear it from you yourself" _

_Kanda turns away, doesn't answer._

"_Kanda!"_

_Still no answer_

"_Kanda, I want to hear it from you!"_

_Silence_

"_Kanda! Listen to m—ph!" before Allen even realized it, Kanda already swooped down to kiss him, it was probably just to shut him up. It wouldn't be the first time. _

_This kiss lasts a while but Kanda doesn't enter his mouth, it's just an open eyed, touching of lips. Kanda pulls away "Shut up..." he breaths, and he leans in for another kiss, this time he shoves his tongue in._

.....................................

(**a/n:** Oh my, it turned out NOT long, D: I was hoping I could do better than this. But it seems that I can't I'm sorry if it's turning out so bad just when it's finally almost gonna end... One more chapter to go, oh and the ending will be happy, people around the Order just need better communication, lol. Right, well hopefully (most likely) next chapter will be posted next week, it's summer vacation here so I finally have time, lol)


	30. La Fine

"_Eternity was in our lips and eyes,__  
_

_Bliss in our brows' bent; none our parts so poor__  
_

_But was a race of heaven."_

_**-Cleopatra ('Antony and Cleopatra'; Act I; Scene III)**_

**When the Black Order Acknowledges Theater**

_Disclaimer: For the thirtieth time, I don't own DGM._

**CHAPTER THIRTY: Antony and Cleopatra (part six) **_(La Fine)_

"I think that if you want to see everything Shakespeare is capable of doing in a single play, 'Antony and Cleopatra' is the one to read. It's his ultimate triumph over Christopher Marlowe" Lenalee said gleefully

Lavi tilted his head to one side "Weren't there rumors of them being one and the same though? Shakespeare and Marlowe I mean..."

"They're only rumors, I STRONGLY believe that Shakespeare is his own person" Lenalee furrowed her eyebrows, half-glaring at the bookman apprentice for his allegation

"Putting that aside, I DO agree that the play was a great triumph on Shakespeare's part..." Allen says, his voice stagnant "If you think about it, much thanks should be given to Marc Antony, he was such a glorious character that even Octavius admitted the world ended when he died"

"It was ridiculous, how could those people look up to him so much?" Kanda says eyes narrowed

"During Antony's time, which was Julius Ceasar's time coincidentally, a flamboyant presence was effective, even essential, to lead Rome or similar states..." Komui said

"When Marc Antony died, the era of the great Second Triumvirate was done..." Lavi mused "I imagine that was a happy era for Rome... Not that Octavius was that bad of an Emperor, but Julius is more known, that says SOMETHING"

"Shakespeare didn' give Rome much mercy did he?" Lenalee laughed

Miranda fidgeted "Well... Uhm... He didn't give Egypt any of it as well..."

"I believe that Shakespeare was trying to show that he took no sides" said Crowely "with respects to the clash of East and West at least"

Allen sighed "And yet it is an ever recurring theme..."

"But Love versus Lust came as the grandest theme didn't it?" at Akagi's statement, Allen flinched, and everyone stiffened

Lenalee opted to talk as to avoid any sort of silence whatsoever "Uhm, well you can say that Akagi but—"

"Wrong" Kanda said, suddenly, much to the surprise of all "Wrong" he repeated, and he looked squarely at Akagi, but the boy was unabashed, or at least, he looked like unabashed "Love and lust? The play toyed with Man versus Woman more than anything. Antony and Cleopatra constitute that."

Silence follows, Akagi smirks.

"Well that's one opinion Uncle" says the boy, shrugging

"Tsch..." although Kanda is beginning to look irked, he smirks "...which can only mean neither of us is right..." he says "...Stop talking about things which aren't for a boy like you to say"

Only Allen understood the double meaning of that statement. Though it certainly did not stop everyone else from feeling the existence of one, it was plainly obvious really. Lenalee turns to Lavi, out of habit (she does like turning to him for the Kanda and Allen relationship matters), and he smiles mouths 'I'll look into it', and then shrugs as to tell her to focus on the meeting. That she understood, she shook her head.

"Stop this ok guys?" Lenalee says, firmly, but a pleading tone rings on the edges "Let's move on to another topic..."

..................................

"_Akagi? Could you do me a favour?" Allen says one morning, as he scrubs Akagi's back while the boy bathes _

"_What is it?" Akagi asks, as he indifferently plays with the bubbles in the water_

"_Could you stop irking Kanda? I know you're doing this intentionally, whatever your reasons just stop it..." Allen sighs "...Whatever Kanda did, or is doing, I don't really care anymore..."_

"_You don't really mean that..." the boy says matter-of-factly "...Why else would you be exponentially less hyperactive...You also don't tease uncle anymore, it's unlike you"_

"_I guess is... But..." Allen rinses the boy's back and begins shampooing his hair "...but well... I was just a bit uneasy, give me a few more days and I'll be back to normal"_

"_That you need a few more days in itself means you aren't ok, and that you do care..." Akagi says firmly_

"_Akagi...Just stop it anyway.... please..." Allen breathes deeply_

"_I'll try..." Akagi says "... no promises though..." he adds for good measure_

_The snow-haired exorcist sighs "You and Kanda are SO alike"_

_....................................._

"What's happening I wonder..." Lenalee says, trying to smile "...It's getting me a tad bit worried..."

"They'll be fine..." Lavi pats her shoulder "Akagi's working on it, you could tell right?"

"But it seems to be working the wrong way..." Lenalee huffs

"Which is why I'm planning to look into it as well... Although I highly doubt that Akagi doesn't know what he's doing..." says the bookman apprentice "...These methods are so like him..." and although they both haven't figured out the boy entirely, Lavi and Lenalee both think that to be true

"I just don't get what's going on though..." Lenalee mumbles "...It feels Akagi's trying to haunt Kanda with the past... Does not explain why Allen in more affected though"

Lavi's eyes widen slightly at that statement, realizing something "Just a hunch, but I think Allen started this... Not sure, but it does seem likely..." Lavi says this while recalling his mission with Allen to Hampshire

"Why would you say that?"and she looks genuinely curious of course

The bookman apprentice coughs nervously "Err... I can't say, it's kinda... a private matter...I know only cause I'm a bookman..." he laughs awkwardly "...and trust me, Kanda doesn't like that fact"

Lenalee finds herself laughing and she pats Lavi on the back a few times "You have my pity" she says

Lavi just tries his best to grin, but a smile is all he can muster.

"They're troublesome aren't they?"Lenalee says laughingly "They were so hard to get to get together and now they're having relationship problems... Why can't they both just be more honest? It's not like either of them would know for sure without being told straight" she is surprised when Lavi flinches

"Well..." he says "...I understand them there, it's hard to be honest" Lavi laughs uneasily

"Are you calling yourself a liar?" Lenalee asks teasingly

"Not exactly..." he scratches the back of his head "...You know it's not that people tend to lie, they just tend to keep the whole truth from others, it's a defence mechanism I guess..." he sighs "... pathetic I guess, but such is mankind"

"You're getting me interested..." she replies "Are you hiding something?"

Lavi laughs, this time it's a hearty one "Maybe!" he says, and he sounds like he genuinely doesn't know either

......................................

"What's wrong with you brat? Think being my nephew gives you the licence to tick me off?" Kanda hisses

Akagi shrugs "Not really, and it's your own choice to get ticked off"

Kanda clenches his teeth then glares at his nephew who is now grinning, he takes that moment to exclaim in his utter irritation, "Whatever happened to me, whatever I did, or even whatever is happening to me now, it's NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. Stay out of it."

"It's not my fault that your business turns out to be Allen's business as well, and he LET'S me meddle..." Akagi doesn't even think 'meddle' is an improper word, though that might be exactly what he's doing

"Liar, he told me he told you to quit it!" shouts Kanda

"Which is why I'm saying that it's you who's choosing to be irked..." the boy beams at his uncle "...and that's all he told me to do anyway"

Kanda rolls his eyes "Whatever, just mind your own business" he strode forward, only to bump into someone, the sound of something falling can be heard

"K-Kanda..." it's Allen's voice, shocked, breathless "I'm sorry, I was kinda in a hurry..." he picks up the books he was carrying "...sorry" Allen finally manages to get a look of the swordsman, only to discover Kanda staring at him, awkwardly "What's wrong?"

"...Nothing..." Kanda looks away

Allen tilts his head to one side "... You sure?"

"Yeah..." Kanda still didn't look at Allen, Akagi sniggers

"Oh yeah..." says Akagi "...He's FINE"

Allen turns to look at Akagi mouths 'What?', he reaches to grasp Kanda's shoulders "Are you ok Kanda?" he says, shaking him slightly

Kanda looks at him, eyes uncharacteristically wide "Yes..."

Allen finds himself frowning "...You're not fine"

"Yes..." the swordsman said, standing up "...I am..." and then he walks away, Allen staring at his wake

"What did you say Akagi?" Allen asked, though not looking at the boy

"Since when is it automatically my fault that he's acting weird?" Akagi sounded theatrically appalled "Why don't you go talk to him, and ask him yourself?" and then he grins

Allen sighs, and stands up "Let' go..." he reaches out his free hand, and the boy takes it. They walk off.

..............................

"I wanna talk to you" and despite what we expect it's Lavi who says these words, and the words pertain to the boy, Akagi

Allen was reading 'Crime and Punishment' (by Fyodor Dostoevsky) to the boy, a fact that Lavi found amusing, he suppressed the urge to comment.

"Sure" Akagi says nonchalantly, apparently he was expecting this. Also apparently, Allen was not, he was giving Lavi a weird look. The bookman apprentice just shrugged.

Together with the boy, Lavi strode out of the room, and entered the empty hallway. Lavi sighed and turned to look at Akagi. "What'd you want to talk about?" the boy asks.

Lavi looked to one side, shrugged, and scratched the back of his head "What are you planning?" he asked, but he didn't sound at all accusing, it sounded more like inquiry than anything

"Planning? About what?" whether or not Akagi was just trying to look innocent was indiscernible

"Well... you know..." Lavi shifts his weight to his right foot with unease, he looks at Akagi "...about Kanda and Allen, something's wrong with them obviously"

The boy shrugs "Something's always wrong with them" he grins "Don't worry, I'm not doing anything out of safe bounds, they'll be ok, I know it, soon even"

Lavi puts on a crooked smile "Lenalee's fussing over it" he says, and he laughs lightly

"That's the way she is, she's a great person" the boy beams, looking a tad bit sheepish

"Yeah" the bookman apprentice's smile was full now "She is"

Akagi tilts his head to one side, his expression looking sly "Maybe you should start being honest too... Do it your way though, improvise is always good"

Lavi raised an eyebrow at that comment, and it didn't take long for him to begin to laugh thereafter "I can't believe you're actually giving me that advice..." he breathes

"That, or you can't believe you're actually getting this advice in general"

"Yeah" Lavi laughs "Maybe"

Akagi eyes him suspiciously "So you'll do it?"

The bookman-to-be grins "Do what?"

"You'll actually start fessing up I mean"

With another laugh he replies, "We'll see"

.............................

When Akagi and Allen ventured back from the library to the snow-haired exorcist's room, a dark haired sword wielding exorcist could be seen leaning near the said bedrooms door. No one else could fit such an expression, and so naturally, we can assume this person to be Kanda Yuu. He does not talk, nor does he even move, when the two stop in front of the room. Allen furrows his eyebrows in obvious confusion, while Akagi finds himself grinning. "I think I'll go find Lavi!" Akagi shouts, and then he lets go of Allen's arm, runs away.

"Akagi wait!" Allen tries to run after the boy, a firm grip takes a hold of his wrist. His abrupt stop caused him to turn, and now he was looking at Kanda, who in turn was looking at him. The swordsman gestured for his bedroom door. Allen took this as a signal to go inside.

When Allen entered his own bedroom he took a stride for his bed, he heard the door click in the silence, Kanda had locked it. 'Oh so he's here to do _that_?' Allen thought. Half-expecting this anyway, this was probably the only way Kanda knew to show affection.

"Look..." Allen's is completely surprised, when Kanda begins to talk "... I can't make any promises, I DON'T know how long I'll live nor do I know EXACTLY how I would call my..." he breaths "... FEELINGS for you... But you know what?" he looks at Allen squarely in the eye "I honestly don't give a damn about any of that"

Allen found himself just standing there looking surprised, speechless.

"...And about Sarah... It wasn't really that special, our relationship was nothing like that..." he continued "...It was nothing like... well... THIS" despite what he was saying he looked utterly irked, though perhaps it would have been more right to say that he looked as such BECUASE of what he was saying

Allen tries to hide his amusement, the swordsman before him had been thinking obviously, and now he was frustrated "And what IS this exactly?" he said, trying to hide the amusement in his tone

Kanda grunts "I DON'T KNOW" he narrows his eyes "Maybe you can tell me"

Allen scratches the back of his head "Well, you see I don't know either" he beams "...But like you said who gives a damn, right? At the very least we know it's something important, for both of us"

The swordsman merely shrugs in reply. Allen can't hold back his amusement anymore, he's grinning like a madman, Kanda actually THOUGHT about it.

"One more thing..." It's Kanda who says this, voice almost audible only to them both "...if it ever happened that you would betray the Order, willingly or not, know that I'll be the first to raise my sword"

And though Allen is surprised, he says this with a smile "Then be the one to cut my throat"

"Tsch" is all that comes out of the swordsman's mouth, Allen raises an eyebrow, Kanda rolls his eyes, Allen laughs, Kanda grabs his face for a kiss.

......................................

"Oh they'll be fine..." Akagi says "...They just went to 'talk it out' actually, there's only one other thing they can do when they're alone anyway, and uncle's not the type to go there just to do THAT"

Lenalee turns to Lavi, the bookman apprentice shrugs "I THINK we can trust him"

The boy pouts "What's with that? You just THINK?"

Lavi grins "Well I can never be too sure with you can I?"

"Well at least they're talking it out" Lenalee sighs

"Yep" Akagi beams "Communication is essential for a relationship, honesty is the best policy!" and he nudges Lavi with his elbow

The bookman-to-be stumbles a bit "Uh..." he says "...right..."

"I think I'll get back to them now, they're probably done... It's been half-an-hour" how Akagi knows that exactly we cannot assume how "...but if they're not, I'm going to go look for you two again" and that sounded like a warning strangely

"Right, run along then" Lavi waves a hand, and Akagi runs along

"He's become so familiar with this place hasn't he? A shame we're moving" Lenalee sighs

"Can't be helped" Lavi says "That's the way it is"

"Somehow I'm envious of them"

The bookman apprentice's eyes widen "Yuu and Allen?"

"Yeah..." she looks at Lavi and smiles

"Ah well..." he breathes "...yeah..."

"You're envious too?" and Lenalee's sporting a cheeky grin "How unlike you Lavi..."

He laughs "Well you know you can't help these things..." he slowly shifts his weight onto one leg and places his hands in his pockets

She senses his unease "Hmm? What's wrong?"

"I'd say nothing but..." he pauses, considers "... I think that I have something to ask you..."

"You THINK?" she asks

"Ah well, I WANT to ask you something... I guess..." The last two words were barely audible

"...What is it?" suddenly she looks concerned, because Lavi looks uneasy and serious

The bookman-to-be sighs, pulls his hands out of his pockets and takes one of Lenalee's hands, places it between both of his. "I'd like to hold this hand" Lenalee's eyes widen in astonishment "If... you know, it's ok with you..."

There's a moment of silence, and Lavi almost pulls away, she stops him "No..." she says "...It's fine..." then she beams "Really" he just beams right back.

.....................................

On an uneventful day, during an uneventful lunch break, Lenalee was debating on what the Black Order's Shakespearean Play Club would discuss next.

"I think I'd like to read 'Othello', but whatever you chose is fine Lenalee" Allen says reassuringly

Lavi pats Lenalee's shoulder "My vote's on 'King Lear', but you know I'm fine with whatever you chose"

Somehow Lenalee Lee feels a tad bit more pressured.

"I don't care what you want to read, just chose quick. The bean and I need to leave soon." Kanda's priorities, will always be priorities (?), missions before club meetings of course.

Lenalee looks back and forth between Lavi and Allen, then, she sighs. "King Lear" she says firmly, trying to ignore how Allen's face slightly fell "Have fun on your mission!" not the most appropriate thing to say but...

"Great" Kanda said "Let's go" he grabs Allen by the wrist, runs off

"Glad they're happy" Lavi says with a grin

Lenalee laughs "Yeah... me too"

"You know what I actually want to read 'Othello' too" the bookman-to-be says teasingly

"Oh?" she asks amused "Why'd you say 'King Lear' then?"

Lavi shrugs "Who knows" Lenalee laughs

Meanwhile, Kanda was running, dragging Allen along, muttering something about being late for their mission. "Slow down Kanda!" Allen exclaimed "We're not late!"

"Better early than whatever!" and he continues to run pulling poor Allen with him, the snow-haired exorcist can't help but chuckle

They pass Miranda and she shouts 'Good luck!', they pass Crowley and he says 'Have a safe trip!' and Akagi, who was with him, shouts 'The first class compartment is always a good place!'. Kanda shouts 'Shut up!' to his nephew, while Allen shouts 'Akagi!' as if he was scolding the boy. But they didn't stop; they just kept on running off. Allen muses on how big the Order actually is. Kanda grumbles for almost the entire run. They arrive at where their finder was, panting.

"Supervisor told me to give you these" in the finder's hands were two copies of 'King Lear'

Kanda looked irritated "What the hell! How did these get here before—"

"Thank you" Allen interrupts and he takes the copies from the finder, Kanda looks at him with narrow eyes 'Don't bother' Allen mouths

"A note came with it as well" said the finder, and he handed Allen a piece of paper

He read the note out loud "If you don't read this, there will be punishment, it's signed by Komui"

"Tsch" it almost seemed like Kanda was hiding his amusement

"We must leave now" said the finder "Follow me"

Kanda and Allen walked behind the finder, in silence for a change.

"About what Akagi said..." and Allen is surprised that Kanda brings this up "...he's right"

He raises an eyebrow "Right? About what exactly?"

The swordsman smirks "The first class compartment is a good place?"

"For what?" Allen asks, he wrinkles his nose, furrows his eyebrows

Kanda gives him a you're-actually-asking-that-question face.

"Oh..." Allen realizes, knowing EXACTLY what the other meant now "But the finder will be there"

And Kanda, with a smirk on his face, said exactly what Allen would expect him to say.

"_**I know"**_

**+*~THE END~*+**

_**.................................**_

(**a/n: **Oh My Freak, I actually finished it. It's actually done. I can't believe it's over. This is my longest fan fiction to date, so it will always be unforgettable. Since it's the first one to last so long. First of all sorry if this final chapter was in anyway unsatisfactory, and also, this is also unedited, so enjoy the typos (lol) anyway. I wanna thank everyone who read this, reviewed, put it in their favourites and alerts list, whether you just lurked or whatever, thank you. I was going through the reviews, re-reading them all again. I read the reviews for the latest chapter and noticed two people who have been reviewing since this fic's early days, so I'd just like to directly thank Digimagic and Lochesh. =)

Again though, thank you all, It's been a pleasure. I'll be posting the edited version of the chapters in a few days, not all at once, little by little (finally, they get edited, special thanks to Ame Mika'zuki for editing more than half of the chapters xP). Reviews are appreciated xD and I'll definitely reply, ask anything, this is the last chapter, I'm in an awfully good mood.)


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